Film- Yin shi nan nu (EDMW)/Tortilla Soup

Legit

Yin Shi Nan Nu (Eat, Drink, Man, Woman)
Writers: Hui-Link Wang, Ang Lee, James Schamus
Director: Ang Lee
Stars: Sihung Lung, Yu-Wen Wang, Chien-Lien Wu, Kuei-Mei Yang

Tortilla Soup
Writers: Ramón Menéndez, Tom Musca, Vera Blasi
Director: María Ripol
Stars: Hector Elizondo, Jaqueline Obradors, Elizabeth Peña, Tamara Mello

These are both excellent films. Scene by scene, they play almost the same. I think I identify a little more with TS because I'm more familiar with the latino lifestyle. Living in the American West, I've experienced it more closely than I have the Asian lifestyle. So, I think I'll refer to the two together as "the story".


At first, this could seem like the shallow tale of a widowed man and his daughters. He might seem to have lost touch with them, but it isnt so. The truth is, it's a complex story about several relationships and the way each of the central characters must face his or her own inner self.


As the father of three girls, I could relate to this story on several levels, and it rings true most of the time. Where it does klink for me is right where it should. (I'll explain shortly.)

This is not a deeply cerebral story, although it does lend itself to some analysis, especially the father character. He is a good man - strong and grounded. He knows what he believes and stands on his tradition. (In a way similar to Fiddler on the Roof, the traditions are a major player here. They tell us how people should act and in some cases, how they will respond to events as they unfold.)

In this father, we see a man who loves his three daughters and expects them to follow his example and advice. This works sometimes and sometimes it doesnt.

Throughout the story, we observe him rethinking his stance. When the eldest announces that she's bought a home of her own, he appears upset that she didnt consult with him. He's also proud of her, though, for taking the initiative to better her situation. With each of the girls we see this dynamic. He is solid, but not rigid.

One cant help but love the sisters. They are diverse and endearing, but not cliché. Their love for each other, and their father, is obvious. I've observed many of their characteristic behaviors in my own daughters. It's that they are allowed to perpetrate the most horrible acts among themselves without losing love, but the outsider who loves or offends one is accepted or despised by them all.


One thing that I see so often in media is that the Christian is portrayed as a little ditzy and slow to catch on. This used to bother me, until I realized that it cant be any other way. It's a Biblical thing. 1 Corinthians 1:18 explains that non-Christians will see Jesus' followers as foolish. While I dont like the portrayal, I understand where it comes from.


The relationship between the youngest girl and her young man has some wonderful nuances. This came across better for me in TS. We observe the changes from excitement to frustration and then to something more mature as they try to work things out.


Morally speaking, I always have issues with adultery, but it's part of our society (and truthfully always has been). At least this story addresses the Christian view directly by getting the girl married, albeit suddenly, rather than having her cave to her impulses completely. This is something I also admire about Paz Vega's character in Spanglish.