If you’re catching “Ramen Teh”, you can skip the first half hour, before Uncle Wee (Mark Lee) appears.
In a film where virtually everyone takes themselves way too seriously, Mark Lee is a breath of fresh air, stealing all the scenes in which he appears. But it’s not just comedy we’re looking at – he also stirs emotions with the dramatic beats in the story. He know when to lighten the mood and when to be serious, so you don’t get fatigued by his dramatic acting.
Unfortunately, we don’t get to see the rest of the characters being funny or relaxed. For them, it’s about being as intense as possible, as much as possible. And that doesn’t quite work for a film where food is purportedly the mender of souls, the purveyor of harmony, and the heart of a family. Especially not when the core of the story revolves around a chef looking for his family.
Main character Masato (Takumi Saito) just doesn’t feel like he would be passionate about cooking. He’s definitely got deep, lingering emotions, as evidenced by his smouldering stares and extreme angst. But you never quite get the feeling that his passion lies in cooking, because food doesn’t bring him the sort of joy or the intensity of emotion that, well, everything else seems to stir in him. On the contrary, it seems like his vocabulary is limited to “oishi!” every time he eats Singaporean food. Is there nothing Singaporean that he doesn’t like? I mean, I’m Singaporean, and there are some foods (kuay chap) that I don’t like. How believable is it that a random stranger comes to Singapore and delights in every single dish we have?
The fact that he’s not really that discerning about food is what sticks out the most about his characterisation. Unlike, say, Mitsuru in “The Last Recipe”, Masato likes everything. Most food films will have a chef who has very exacting standards or specific tastes, which elevates your impression of their culinary expertise. But Masato is rather chin chye about all types of food. Wouldn’t he have made some experimental gaffes when developing his ramen teh instead of getting it (and bak kut teh) completely right so quickly? He feels woefully miscast in this film.
Another grating character is Mei Lian (Jeanette Aw) – who flutters around, perpetually stuck in a broad smile. Yes, there’s one scene where she cries, but it still seems like a stiffened visage that’s shedding tears. And there’s her English. Oh my gosh, the English. Has she never spoken English in her life?
Thankfully, we have plenty of glamour shots of food to make up for it. The film literally made me and my viewing partner hungry for ramen, which is testament to the power of its visuals. There’s a hefty amount of Singaporean pride in the film, and it’s evident that the filmmakers love all things Singaporean. There’s so much passion in crafting the food shots that you can’t help but feel your stomach rumbling.
As a food film, “Ramen Teh” does its job well. But as a dramatic tale of family and doomed romances, it doesn’t quite appeal. Nevertheless, if you’re Singaporean, you should really catch “Ramen Teh” for its romanticisation of Singaporean food culture.
Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? Okay.
Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? No.
Score: 3.0/5
Secret ending? No.
Running time: 89 minutes (~1.5 hours)
“Ramen Teh” is a Singaporean food drama.
The film sees a young ramen chef heading to Singapore to discover the truth about his family. In the process, he learns that his mixed heritage may be his greatest strength in the culinary world.
“Ramen Teh” is directed by Eric Khoo and written by Fong Cheng Tan and Kim Hoh Wong. It stars Takumi Saito (Masato), Seiko Matsuda (Miki), Mark Lee (Uncle Wee), Tsuyoshi Ihara (Kazuo), Beatrice Chien (Madam Lee), and Jeanette Aw (Mei Lian).
“Ramen Teh” opens in cinemas:
– 29 March, 2018 (Singapore)
You might also want to read:
- [Movies] ‘Ramen Teh’ — Eric Khoo’s film for the masses
- [Movie Review] ‘The Last Recipe’ is a magical depiction of food and cooking
This is an original article on marcusgohmarcusgoh.com
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I’m a Singapore television scriptwriter who’s written for Lion Mums, Crimewatch, Police & Thief, and Incredible Tales. I’m also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. You can find me on social media as Optimarcus and on my site.
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