Hainan Chicken Rice (2004)

Posted by: hcpen1111

Hainan Chicken Rice (2004)

First film financed by the Singapore Government dealing directly with gay theme which is a progressive step and also an indication of Singapore's govt change of policy in being more tolerant towards gay and lesbian citizens. I like the film because of Sylvia Chang who is one of my favourite actresses and also cute handsome actors and a unique setting being Singapore instead of the usual HK setting and i am half-Malaysian and given the similar culture b/w Sin and Mal, i found it easier to connect with this film also...HOWEVER, the storyline wasn;t great and the ending was poor in my opinion....wouldn't really recommend though wouldn't discourage anyone from watching too...again mainstream film even shown in theatres in strictly censored Singapore which obviously means no explicit scenes. In fact there are not even kissing scenes , let alone sex scenes in the entire film....

Hainan Chicken Rice English Website: http://rice.jce.com.hk/en_main.html

English: SYNOPSIS
Hainan (HI-Nahn) Chicken Rice: one of the staples of Singaporean cuisine, a Chinese risotto sizzled in a pan and simmered in chicken stock, glistening with chicken essence and fragrant with ginger, every grain plump and separate yet chewy and bursting with juice. .
After being abandoned by her husband twelve years earlier, Jen (Sylvia Chang; "Eat Drink Man Woman", "The Red Violin." Best Actress of Hong Kong Film Awards 2002 - "Forever and Ever"), raised her three sons alone. She uses her mother's secret Hainan Chicken Rice recipe and opened a restaurant to support the family.
Her two older sons, Daniel and Harry are gay, as a woman with traditional values, Jen is fretful that she would have no grandchildren, if Leo, too, turns out to be gay.
Together she and best friend, Kim Chui (Martin Yan; famous Chinese cuisine TV Chef "Yan Can Cook") device a plan to keep Leo straight by bringing in a French exchange student to live with them. She is Leo's age and her name is Sabine. Leo develops a strange but intriguing relationship with her, which greatly pleases Jen.
However, things begin to crumble for her again when Kim Chui becomes "the toast of the town" with his invention of a new dish deeply challenging her Chicken Rice. Kim Chui becomes a national celebrity overnight, and Jen's self-esteem is threatened.
Finally, their conflicts come to a head when Jen participates in a cooking contest with Kim Chui and other chefs from Singapore. Food unexpectedly becomes a medium that not only nourishes their bodies but also opens their hearts…
Chinese: 故事大綱
海南雞飯屬新加坡名菜，一道正宗上等海南雞飯不僅屬頂級美食藝術，更能吃出大廚心思，感受不一樣的故事﹗
珍(張艾嘉飾， 2002年憑《地久天長》獲香港電影金像獎最佳女主角)自十二年前遭丈夫遺棄後，以祖傳秘方調製的海南雞飯打響名堂，於新加坡開設餐館，獨力養活三個兒子。傳統的珍一直渴望兒子繼後香燈，當發現長子及次子皆是同性戀者後，將希望孤注一擲放在小兒子LEO身上。
JEN為一盡家庭責任，延續傳宗接代的理想，與好友金水(世界名廚甄文達飾)合力介紹女孩子給LEO，其中法國交換生SABINE與LEO甚為投契，珍大感安慰。
其時金水憑一道新發明的菜式一炮而紅，響徹廚壇，他的新菜間接拆毀了珍以海南雞飯起家的生意﹔珍無形中自尊盡創。珍與金水在一次高手雲集的廚藝比賽中相遇，珍發現，觸動她生命每個點滴的，並不單是一碗海南雞飯……