[Movie Review] Mark Lee, not the ramen, is the best thing in ‘Ramen Teh’

Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)
Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)

If you’re catching “Ramen Teh”, you can skip the first half hour, before Uncle Wee (Mark Lee) appears.

Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)
Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)

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.

Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)
Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)

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.

Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)
Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)

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?

Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)
Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)

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.

Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)
Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)

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?

Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)
Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)

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.

Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)
Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)

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.

Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)
Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)

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 (Golden Village Pictures)
Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)

“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)

Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)
Ramen Teh (Golden Village Pictures)

You might also want to read:


This is an original article on marcusgohmarcusgoh.com


Follow Marcus Goh (yes, referring to myself in third person) on Facebook and Instagram for more (presumably) good updates!

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.

Send me an email if you want to get in touch!


WANT TO BE AWESOME AT WRITING?

Then it’s time to take your writing seriously. Good writing opens up the doors to success. Download Secrets of Quick and Painless Writing to get started now!

 


Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*