Dumplings (2004)

Aunt Mei cooks dumplings in her apartment. She cooks very special dumplings with very special properties that only very discerning customers want to purchase. She tells us one of these very discerning customers and the audience that the dumpling has been a centerpiece in Chinese cuisine for over 1,400 years. It has been a part of the cultural food fabric of her people--so too, apparently, has cannibalism.

The aging film star, Mrs. Li (Miriam Yeung Chin Wah), lives with her neglectful, unfaithful, egomaniacal husband and suffers severe insecurity. Her fame has all but vanished, her husband has all but left her. She hears of Aunt Mei and her dumplings which are said to have restorative powers, and her vanity compels her to sample them. Indeed, the dumplings reverse age. Aunt Mei is 64 years old, but looks no older than a girl in her late 20's. But the magic of the food comes at a horrible price: the secret ingredient to her recipe is cooked human fetus.

This concept very nearly turned me off from watching the film at all, but I was intrigued to see how this sort of story would play out and was surprised to find that it is a very well-crafted film with strong performances from its two leads. October is a month for horror films; I wouldn't necessarily classify this as "horror" (though it did have one opportunity to place itself there) as much as I would cinema of the grotesque. Still, it may not be horror, but it is horrifying.

Mrs. Li tries Aunt Mei's concoction, and it seems to work on her too. Soon, however, her appetite for the food begins to grow leading to unseen and particularly unsavory consequences. As if the premise weren't disgusting enough, another layer of dreadfulness is mixed in. I won't spoil it, though I will say it is very compelling. Unfortunately, the story did not take us down the incredibly dark path it promises which I found strangely disappointing. I'm not sure how much more nauseating I hoped it would get, but I do know one very big issue was never resolved.

Yeung does a great job as the vainglorious actress fallen to a deed beyond reprehensible. The way she turns from disgusted to a steely resolve as she swallows the aborted babies is seamless and convincing. The performance by Tony Leung Ka Fai as Mei is also very sharp. The black market abortionist has such an easy charm that she almost convinces you that what is happening is no big deal. I found both women compelling.

This is a very odd film, but that needn't be stated. There are lots of movies about what women will do to stay young and beautiful forever, but I don't believe that there are any others who take this approach, nor would I want them to. They say love is only skin deep. Or is it beauty? Is there a difference? After watching this, I'd have to say no, there isn't.

 Don't watch while you're eating.

3/4