Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- warm
- hopeful
- gentle
- lazy sunday
- comfort viewing
What critics said
Critics generally find the film a warm, humane intercultural comedy-drama whose appealing performances and food-centered premise are tempered by familiar storytelling.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Cheng's Chinese cooking transforms both the café and his relationship with the Finnish village after his wife's death.
Chinese cuisine brings Cheng, Sirkka, local villagers, and stranded tourists into meaningful contact.
The initially unfamiliar Cheng becomes a celebrated member of the rural Finnish community through his work in Sirkka's kitchen.
Sirkka's café is the central gathering place and the setting for Cheng's culinary and social integration.
Films like Master Cheng, and why
The Hundred-Foot Journey
warm rural community comedy-drama centered on food, healing, and cultural connection
East Is East
gentle immigrant comedy-drama where cuisine bridges cultural differences and builds community
Babette's Feast
comforting food-centered drama about grief, belonging, and an unexpected community
The Visitor
hopeful cross-cultural comedy-drama involving a newcomer reshaping a small community
Movie Details
- Director
- Mika Kaurismäki
- Release Date
- 2019-09-27
- Runtime
- 114 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (73)
Cast
- Tommy Chu Pak-Hong
- Anna-Maija Tuokko
- Lucas Hsuan
- Kari Väänänen
- Vesa-Matti Loiri
- Paula Miettinen
- Hannu Oravisto
- Jonne Kaaretkoski
- Helka Periaho
- Kari Koivukangas
Common questions
- What is Master Cheng about?
- A grieving Chinese chef finds unexpected belonging in a remote Finnish village when his cooking turns a struggling café into a meeting place between cultures.
- What is Master Cheng like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Master Cheng as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Master Cheng violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Master Cheng.
- What did critics think of Master Cheng?
- Critics generally find the film a warm, humane intercultural comedy-drama whose appealing performances and food-centered premise are tempered by familiar storytelling.
- Which films are like Master Cheng?
- Films with a similar feel include The Hundred-Foot Journey, East Is East, Babette's Feast, and The Visitor.
- How long is Master Cheng?
- Master Cheng runs 114 minutes.
