Eat Drink Man Woman

Hi, my name is Riley Diffenderfer, and I teach middle school world languages and ESL at Shaler Area School District. First of all, while this was a wonderful film, I would NOT recommend this film for middle schoolers. It would be most naturally used in a college setting because of some adult content, including sexual situations (not explicit per se, but inappropriate for K-12). It would make sense to be included in a class on the subject of Taiwanese and Chinese relations, Chinese food, family dynamics, or tradition versus modernity. I think it should be essential viewing for any social studies, world history, or Asian languages teachers for the cultural value it has in showing westerners a slice of Taiwanese "modern" life, albeit in 1994. 

"Eat, Drink, Man, Woman" is a cinematic masterpiece directed by Ang Lee that not only captivates audiences with its engaging storyline, but also offers profound educational value. At its core, the film explores the intricate dynamics of family relationships and the evolving nature of traditional values in the face of modernity. This provides viewers with a rich cultural insight into Taiwanese society, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities in balancing tradition and progress.

The film also serves as a culinary journey, showcasing the art of Chinese cooking through visually stunning and meticulously crafted scenes. Each cooking sequence is not just a feast for the eyes, but a lesson in the importance of culinary traditions and the role food plays in connecting generations. This unique approach to storytelling offers a profound educational experience for Western viewers. 

In conclusion, "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman" stands as a cinematic gem that goes beyond entertainment, providing a great educational experience. From cultural insights and culinary appreciation, to lessons in family dynamics and communication, the film offers a lot of educational content. Its enduring value lies in its beautiful cinematography and depictions of traditional Chinese cooking, heartfelt storytelling of the Zhu family, and question of independence in a traditional society which is entering a modern global world

The story of the widower chef and his three daughter was a delight to watch. The father cooks extravagant Sunday meals and all the daughters attend and realize that the father's cooking isn't as good as it once was. He says he has lost his taste buds. At these meals are where the characters make announcement about their life. Each daughters' life is different from the other's The professional daughter, who worked with the airlines, is disappointed when she finds out the apartment she was building/buying will not materialize due to the fact that the builder ran off with the money. The daughter, who is the teacher, was unlucky at a young love and very happy to remain single. She does meet the volleyball coach and marries quickly. The third daughter, who works at Wendy's, announce at the Sunday dinner that she was moving in with her boyfriend because she was pregnant.
The elementary age daughter, of a family friend, enjoys the daily lunches the father makes for her. Even though she can not taste when the recipe was made incorrectly.
The movie ends with the announcement, by the father, that he was selling the house. He also announces he will marry the family friend which is totally unexpected.
The movie was very enjoyable. I found myself cheering for the daughter who was the teacher to find love which she did.

This is a story of a great chef who is a widow and his three adult daughters. This movie shows you a picture of traditional Chinese family- the whole family always gets together to have Sunday dinner and keep communication with each other at the dinner table. The Chinese banquet dishes are an attraction of the movie which is perfect combination of color aroma taste and appearance, the process of cooking make me feel so enjoyable. However, the family is as all the other families which are undercharging in modern society, but the influence of Confucianism of “filial duty” is still in the family. The daughters want to be a good daughter and care about their father a lot and the father wants them to listen to him and understand him. The communication among the family members is getting harder and harder. The old Chinese saying- every family has some sort of trouble – is the exact picture of this family.
The plot of this movie is entertaining and the ending is a surprise. I would definitely recommend this movie to high school students.

I teach high school level (grades 9-12) Chinese language at Oakland Catholic High School. It is an all-girls catholic school.
I think the movie “Eat, Drink, Man, Woman” is appropriate to show for high school level students. There are some things have changed in a fast paced Taiwan, but for the most part the movie is still current.
The movie was directed by Ang Lee in 1994. The Taiwan native director also directed “Crutching tiger hidden dragon”, “Sense and Sensibility”, and many other movies. This movie included relationships within families, Chinese culture, life style, city of Taipei, and most importantly real Chinese food. It is an interesting family story with a twist in the end.
The main character is a chef, a widower, who lives with his three unmarried daughters in Taipei. Each daughter has her own personality and her own stories. The oldest daughter is a high school teacher, another is an ambitious business woman, and the third is a college student.
The cooking scenes are beautiful and nicely done. Most Americans have never seen Chinese cooking from scratch, and the movie includes such things as catching a chicken, still breathing fish…etc. Although those shots moved quickly, teachers might want to discuss/warn students about it before showing the movie.
The story around the high school teacher has some high school campus scenes which are worth showing to American students. Campuses in Taiwan are much larger than in America. Students can get some general ideas of what a high school is like in Taiwan, especially the respectful bowing to teacher at the beginning and the end of each class period. There is also a scene that the chef delivers lunch to an elementary school classroom for neighbor’s little girl. The little kids are extremely adorable.
Sex scenes are very minimal, no more than 20 seconds of a couple in a bed with a bare back. But, if you are showing the movie in a conservative school, you might want to skip ahead.
One thing I would like to mention is that a male high school teacher drives motorcycle without wearing a helmet. It sets a very bad example for students. Teachers can mention that the helmet law in Taiwan had been changed after the movie was produced. Now both driver and passenger are required to wear a helmet on a moving motorcycle or scooter.