Take Out

Directors Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou outdo themselves with their tale which is about much more than the sum of its parts. Excellent performances from professionals and non-professionals highlight this story of one young immigrant's struggle to survive in a country that doesn't care what state he is in, they just want their deliveries on time. Please seek this out and see what can be done with no money and a lot of talent. This story could be done 'Hollywood' style, with its crucial deadlines and world pressing in on Ming Ding(the lead), but it doesn't need to rely on overmanipulative scores, frenetic editing or artificial suspense..the way it's laid out will keep you on edge as it is.

Shot on video in 2003 in New York City this low budget docu-drama was co-directed, produced, written and edited by Sean Baker and Taiwanese-U. S. filmmaker Shih-Ching Tsou. It's a day in the life of Ming Ding (Charles Jang) an in debt to smugglers 'illegal' working in an overworked and underpaid job as a deliveryperson for a Chinese takeaway in Manhattan. Taking on exploitation in the 'employment market' this feature length 'cinema verite' style realist drama was shot (by Baker) in a seemingly perpetually rainy New York, and because of the way it's shot you don't realise for the first few minutes that it is New York - until the yellow taxi cabs start appearing. A powerful portrait and indictment of the poor immigrant experience.

There's something very raw and real about Take Out. Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou capture a day in the life of a delivery worker trying to survive in New York, and they do it with honesty. Nothing feels fake or polished, it's just life as it is, tired faces, small talk, endless movement.

We follow Ming Ding through his day as he tries to make enough money to pay off his debt. There's no big drama, no big music, just the quiet weight of time passing. You feel his exhaustion, the pressure, and the strange moments of calm that appear in between.

What I liked most is how human it feels. Baker always had this thing for showing lives that most people don't look at, and he does it here beautifully. It's not trying to impress you, it just lets you sit there and feel it.

Perhaps if the Producers had paid strict adherence to their very own Rules and Parameters, more likely than not, this foreign film, TAKE OUT, would never have been produced and distributed!

First, let us focus on the The Title's content and context:

There must be at least a handful of You asking Yourselves.... And Exactly why was the Title TAKE OUT selected for this film? Well, let me offer my help. The answer to that question is relatively simple and straightforward!

The movie clearly presents ONE workday in the life of its central protagonist.... A Chinese TAKE OUT Delivery Boy!

You will find his day most enjoyable... Here, I am trying my very best to exlain exactly why!

Well...for STARTERS!..... this ONE really has Cinema Verite written ALL over it! You never know exactly what to expect next. But, for the most part, ironically, nothing DOES ever REALLY happen...and that, in the case of TAKE OUT, is a GOOD thing, believe me!

Perhaps a bit cryptic and difficult to decipher at times, but I think that is because, culturally speaking, many Chinese Nationals seem to be a bit difficult to read!

Surprisingly, in the Special Features "Making-of" short, we learn that most of the cast are simply PORTRAYING characters from the Mainland. Of course, SOME of them really are, but most are Korean-American, Taiwanese, Malaysian, Chinese-American and Singaporean, ALL of whom speak PERFCT Mandarin. Wow! Sure fooled me!

A more accurate title might have been: "Chinese TAKE OUT Delivery Boy: A Day In The LIFE...or E-C Comah, E-C Goah!" If this zero budget film hadn't been executed with such overwhelmingly brutal and convincing precision, it most certainly would have been rated as much as 1 full*** less! From early on, my empathy with those on-screen characters was total and unwavering! They had me at "Sut-Tzun Tee-En-Hwah!"

At one point I actually said out loud to myself.... "Hey, they just followed this delivery boy around all day with a camera, that's why ALL this seems so REAL, because it IS REAL!" I consider myself a peace-loving person, but my identification with the characters in the film became so strong, that during one scene of horrible injustice, I yearned for a gun to shoot the bad guys myself!

TAKE OUT does shine a spotlight on some important realities. It shows us how new arrivals are forced into a life of virtual slavery by bottom-feeders who trap them into a never-ending cycle of loans with astronomical interest-rates! Hey, you think YOU have problems!? Closing note: Considering the microscopic 3K budget, the production values aren't all that bad.

Talk about getting a LOT of BANG for your BUCK!!!

Your best bet...Let TAKE OUT serve you up a slice of Chinese-immigrant life! You will feel quite satisfied!

8*.....ENJOY/DISFRUTELA!

Takeout is a raw and unpolished look at life in the margins. Shot in a documentary-like style, the film immerses you in the world of a Chinese immigrant working as a delivery driver in New York City. The film's gritty realism makes you feel like you're right there with him, struggling to make ends meet.

The narrative is pretty sparse, with very little exposition or traditional storytelling. This could feel slow to some, but I found it to be refreshing in how it captures the monotony and pressure of daily life. It's bleak, but not in a depressing way-instead, it's just honest, showing how difficult life can be when you're living paycheck to paycheck, and the struggles seem endless.

The acting is understated but effective, fitting perfectly with the film's documentary approach. While Takeout might not be for everyone due to its quiet pace and minimal plot, if you appreciate character-driven stories and a more grounded, real-world style, this is definitely worth a watch.