Chinese Take-Away
A solitary Buenos Aires shopkeeper reluctantly shelters a stranded Chinese stranger, discovering connection beneath a life organized around absurdity.
Overview
A lonely hardware store owner finds unexpected companionship in a lost stranger from China.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- deadpan
- bittersweet
- lazy sunday
- quiet night in
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a warm, sharply observed comedy-drama whose odd-couple premise becomes an affecting story of compassion and human connection.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Roberto houses Jun and must rely on gestures, intermediaries, and a delivery boy to communicate with him.
Roberto maintains an album of bizarre international news while insisting on methodical routines in his hardware store.
Jun is expelled from a taxi directly into Roberto's path while Roberto watches airplanes at the airport.
Roberto lodges Jun in his home after bureaucratic searches for Jun's uncle fail.
Films like Chinese Take-Away, and why
The Visitor
shared humanist comedy-drama, immigrant encounter, lonely protagonist, and gradual emotional thaw
Lost in Translation
shared language barrier, cross-cultural friendship, gentle humor, and reflective migration themes
Gran Torino
shared prickly loner protagonist, offbeat deadpan comedy, and redemptive connection with an outsider
The Station Agent
shared bittersweet comedy, eccentric characters, and a chance encounter that disrupts emotional isolation
Movie Details
- Director
- Sebastián Borensztein
- Release Date
- 2011-03-24
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (454)
Cast
- Ricardo Darín
- Ignacio Huang
- Carolina Hsu
- Muriel Santa Ana
- Iván Romanelli
- Pablo Seijo
- Derli Prada
- Joaquín Bouzas
- Gustavo Comini
- Yu Sheng Liao
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Chinese Take-Away about?
- A solitary Buenos Aires shopkeeper reluctantly shelters a stranded Chinese stranger, discovering connection beneath a life organized around absurdity.
- What is Chinese Take-Away like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Chinese Take-Away as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Chinese Take-Away violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Chinese Take-Away.
- What did critics think of Chinese Take-Away?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a warm, sharply observed comedy-drama whose odd-couple premise becomes an affecting story of compassion and human connection.
- Which films are like Chinese Take-Away?
- Films with a similar feel include The Visitor, Lost in Translation, Gran Torino, and The Station Agent.
- How long is Chinese Take-Away?
- Chinese Take-Away runs 93 minutes.
- Where can I watch Chinese Take-Away?
- In United States, Chinese Take-Away is available to rent or buy from Google Play Movies, YouTube.
