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Starring
:
Michael
Hui
Sally
Yeh
Frances
Yip
Lo
Hoi Pang
Producer
:
Raymond
Chow
Director
:
Michael
Hui
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TEPPANYAKI
(1984)
Reviewed
by Andrew Saroch
Mr.
Wong (Hui) is an oppressed chef in a Hong Kong Teppanyaki
restaurant who finds himself stuck in the same old routine.
This routine includes the constant harassment of his nagging
wife and the sometimes violent confrontations with his boss,
who is also his father-in-law. Wong then meets Sissy (Yeh)
during one of his impressive cooking displays and looks to her
to offer a way to happiness for the hapless chef. Secretly
sneaking out of his home to impress Sissy at a number of
functions, Wong starts to come under close scrutiny by his
brutish father-in-law who threatens him with physical harm and
financial ruin. His opportunity to really get to know Sissy
comes when he manages to organise a trip to Paradise Island
with her, but unfortunately for him, his in-laws decides to
join him for the trip and take in the beautiful foreign
locales. Wong then needs his wits to balance his two lives and
avoid the major threat of his father-in-law while finding time
to spend with Sissy. This all culminates in an intricate piece
of farce that sees Wong juggle these numerous responsibilities
with increasing difficulty.
'Teppanyaki'
is perhaps best described as a Hong Kong version of 'Woman In
Red', but with Michael Hui in control there is more on offer.
The slightly uncomfortable storyline which casts Hui as a
potentially cheating husband is turned gradually into another
morality comedy with Hui and his initially unpleasant wife
learning the error of their ways. On this basis the film is
more than just a remake of 'Woman In Red' and there is no
doubt that Hui has enough ability to always give the audience
something more than is on the surface. However, 'Teppanyaki'
does not rank among the very best films that Michael Hui has
made due to the sometimes uneven pacing that runs throughout
the film. Yeh is also a strangely unappealing leading lady who
offers no personality to add to her beauty; this is especially
noticeable when one remembers how good she has been is so many
other films. These elements mean that 'Teppanyaki' at times
falters through its duration. On a positive note though, 'Teppanyaki'
features a few stand-out scenes that recall Michael Hui at his
very best - among these is the final surreal battle between
Hui and his father-in-law. These scenes promise more than the
entire film delivers, but there is never a point that the film
could be considered uninteresting. Michael Hui has made some
of the sharpest and funniest Hong Kong comedies to have been
put onto screen and, while 'Teppanyaki' certainly isn't in
this lofty bracket, it is a recommended slice of Hui's unique
brand of comic excellence.
Three
and a half stars, but sometimes moving up to four.
Rating:
  
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