Dim Sum: A Little Bit Of Heart

This is a flat-out charmer. Director Wayne Wang tells the story of a Chinese-American family living in San Francisco. Mom, a widower, is convinced at 62 that she's going to die before her youngest daughter, Geraldine, gets married. (A fortune-teller imposed the limit.) Uncle (a wonderful performance by Victor Wong) bemoans the loss of the old Chinese ways, and wants to marry Mom. Geraldine, a college student, is torn between her love for her mother and respect for her wishes, and her own feelings about waiting for marriage. Out of this simple concoction, Wang has fashioned a quirky little tale that--although it begins rather slowly--grows on you very quickly. Typical of the film's style of humor is a scene in which Uncle and Geraldine try to cook an elaborate Chinese meal--which turns out to be a disaster. The camera cuts from the mess in the pot to the golden arches of McDonalds, where the pair are chowing down. Recommended. (R. Pitman)[DVD Review—Feb. 7, 2006—Koch Lorber, 87 min., in Cantonese & English w/English subtitles, not rated, $19.98—Making its first appearance on DVD, 1985's Dim Sum features a nice transfer and Dolby Digital surround sound. DVD extras include a conversation with star Laureen Chew (14 min.), the short film “Dim Sum Take Out”—with a two-minute introduction (13 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a fine little film.]