If you are anything like me, you have your local Chinese take-out joint on speed-dial, and if not, you at least have an old menu placed conveniently by the telephone. Who doesn't love egg foo young or moo shoo pork?
But have you ever wondered about the man delivering your meal straight to your door, so that you don't even have to turn on the stove? Chances are probably not. The 2004 indie film Take Out, which is being released in theaters across the country on 77630409 June 6 is a look through the lens of that very man, and we see how truly bitter that hot and sour soup is.
The film is the product of both Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou, both NYU film graduates. The tale focuses on the life of Ming Ding, an illegal Chinese immigrant who makes deliveries for a Chinese take-out venue in Manhattan. The film follows Ming during the course of one day, where he must borrow and work twice as hard in order to pay back the debt he owes the smugglers who brought him over to the United States.
Take Out is a captivating vignette of an all too often forgotten member of society's lower class. The subject matter and style is similar to contemporary filmmaker Ramin Bahrani, writer/director of the two award-winning films Man Push Cart and Chop Shop. Utilizing untrained actors in the style of Italian neo-realists like Michelangelo Antonioni, the solemn Ming feels exceedingly authentic.
The film is very indie complete with blatant raw imperfections. Filmed on the streets of New York, the scenes are choppy and the viewer is subject to drastic shifts in sound levels.
Regardless, the film delves into some exceedingly important issues including the state of immigration, the lives of these individuals and their inability to attain the American dream. Take Out serves up a fresh taste on these issues, which have long troubled our country.
Catch Take Out beginning June 6, exclusively at Quad Cinemas.
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