Eat Drink Man Woman

Somewhat disappointing. Strange to find that Lee’s last Taiwanese film before making Sense & Sensibility is in some ways his most conventional, Hollywoodish work I’ve seen yet. This is a by-the-book family saga full of generational conflict, messy romantic entanglements, charm, light laughs, dramatic climaxes and finally happily ever afters, populated by archetypes. That said, it’s very good for what it is, and that charm does go a long way. I’m just surprised by how straightforward and conventional it seemed.