HAI NAN CHI FAN (RICE RHAPSODY)
Singapore, 2005, 108 minutes, Colour.
Sylvia Chang, Martin Yan, Melanie Laurent, Tan Lepham.
Directed by Kenneth Bi.
Rice Rhapsody (or Hainan Chicken Rice) is one of those popular food films. Eat Drink Man Woman, What’s Cooking, Babette's Feast – all with a focus on the preparation of food and the serving of food, as well as people enjoying it.
The film stars Taiwanese actor, Sylvia Chang, also director of films Princess Dee and 20-30-40.
She appears as the owner of a restaurant – with a kind of love-hate relationship to the proprietor of the restaurant next door who compares recipes with her but uses duck instead of chicken. While these culinary issues are most important, she is concerned about her three sons. Two of them are gay in orientation and she wants to make sure that the third one is not. She takes in a French international student in the hopes that something will happen for the youngest son.
However, the international student has a mind of her own and enjoys life in Singapore in unpredictable ways. The youngest son has to find his own orientation – by dating the French student as well as having long reflective conversations with her.
While the film has the light touch, also touches on contemporary issues even with the taboo touch as homosexuality in Asia, it always remains a light comedy drama.
1. The film as a crowd pleaser? Local, Asian, universal?
2. The Singapore film industry? The quality of craft of the film? The locations, the restaurant, the city and the spirit of Singapore? The humour about Singapore? The musical score, the songs?
3. The title and the tone? The Asian tone?
4. The humour, the family, the matchmaking, gay issues? The gentle and popular touch?
5. Jen’s voice-over: Jen in herself, her personality, age, vivacious, her husband leaving her, bringing up the three boys, running the restaurant, her reputation, the clients, the film stars etc, the humorous reference to Jackie Chan (one of the producers)? Her relationship with Tim, the flight attendant, his girlfriends, moving in with his boyfriend? Harry, his flamboyance? Leo, quiet, studious? Her concern about grandchildren – and listening to her generation talk about the joys of grandchildren? Her wanting to make sure Leo was not gay? Her friendship with Kim Chiu, next door, ten years, his being in love with her, the visits, bringing the duck? Her plan with Kim Chiu, taking in Sabine?
6. Leo and Jen at the airport, Sabine not there, her being in the house, Leo and his sullenness, Sabine’s gifts? Sabine as nice, her boyfriend, student, vegetarian, philosopher? The environment? Overhearing Jen talking about Leo liking her? Going bike-riding with Leo? Her upset about her boyfriend, Leo coming into the room, the talk, the sexual experience? Her enrolment – and hearing the dog and freeing it? The party, her trying to reconcile the sons with their mother, her fortune-telling and seeing the four standing together? Her insights about Harry, about Leo? Her wanting to live life? Her going and its effect?
7. Tim, flight attendant, with his mother, the opening of the restaurant, the parties? The news and his impending wedding? His mother’s tantrum? Calling it off? Harry, his continued boyfriends, the range of gifts that he gave to his mother, talking with Sabine, trying to help Leo, the party for his birthday?
8. Leo, in himself, age, studious? At school, his friendship with Batman? Their sharing everything, cycling, swimming, the bullying at school? His surliness towards Sabine? Listening to his mother? His being with her, cycling, comforting her, the sexual experience? Batman’s going, his memories? His anger, frustration with his mother? His going into the cooking competition, giving the duck to his mother? The reconciliation? The film’s ambiguity about his sexual orientation?
9. Kim Chiu, frustrated love for Jen, the specialty of the duck, the journalists coming, his fame? The contest? His continually visiting Jen, the plan with Sabine and his helping? Playing Mahjong with the friends? Jen and her straightforward telling him that she could not marry him?
10. The contest, TV, the range of Singapore foods, the chefs, the cooking, Jen winning? Leo and his wanting to give the gift to his mother on television?
11. The photo together, the four standing as Sabine predicted? The search for the necklace, their all on their knees – and the humorous final togetherness?
12. The world of Singapore, cosmopolitan?
13. Sexuality issues, gay orientation, solutions, marriages, happiness?
14. The theme of family, love, identity, control?
