Chinese Take-Away (Spanish: Un cuento chino) is a 2011 comedy-drama film written and directed by Sebastián Borensztein. The film was the highest grossing non-US film in Argentina in 2011.
Contents
Plot
Roberto is a veteran who is characterised by orderliness and a firm belief in the value of control. He runs his own hardware store accordingly. For instance, if a supplier sells him boxes with screws and there are 100 in each, he counts all the screws in the box and he files a complaint if they give him extra or if some are missing. He feels that the world around his isle of neatness has gone mad. In order to prove his point, he collects newspaper articles about grotesque mishaps originally triggered by a lack of diligence. From time to time he is visited by Mari, a woman who is in love with him and wants to live with him.
While Roberto believes he has his life under control and is safe from surprises, he is confronted by an appalling incident. A Chinese man, Jun, is thrown out of a taxi in front of Roberto's eyes. Roberto helps him and tries to put things right again, as it is his nature. The task is particularly strenuous because neither speaks the other's language and Roberto is absolutely not in the habit of asking anybody for help. Jun and Roberto encounter several mishaps in the midst of trying to resolve Jun's situation. In the end, the pair find a delivery boy from a Chinese restaurant who can translate for them.
Jun discloses to Roberto he came to Argentina to find his uncle. Roberto explains to Jun that he has become such a grumpy man because his world view has been shattered by the Falklands War. Then Roberto provides an example on what he means when he considers the whole world gone mad. He shows Jun his collection of newspaper articles and points out the article about a Chinese girl who was killed by a cow that fell out of a moving aircraft. Yet Jun knows this story already since she was his fiancée and he actually came to Argentina because everything in China reminded him of this tragedy.
Eventually, Jun is able to connect with his uncle who lives in Mendoza. Roberto drives him to the airport and Jun gets on a plane to reunite with his uncle. Roberto tries to return to his quiet and ordered life but then travels to Mari's hometown to find her.
Cast
Ricardo Darín as Roberto
Muriel Santa Ana as Mari
Ignacio Huang as Jun
Enric Cambray as Roberto as a Young Man (as Enric Rodríguez)
Iván Romanelli as Leonel
Release
The film was released theatrically in Spain on 17 June 2011 by Alta Classics.