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Midnight Diner Review

By David Kempler

Midnight Yum

When I first got my drivers license at 17, there weren't that many places to drive to that I could afford. All of my buddies were in similar situations. The one place where we could all meet and hang out was at the local diner.

If you grew up in New York City, diners were a staple pretty much everywhere, no matter the neighborhood. For us, it was the Flagship Diner in Briarwood, Queens. On most Friday or Saturday nights, at least some of us would end up there around midnight.

"Midnight Diner," a Chinese language comedy-drama based on a previous Japanese tv series and film, is set in current-day Shanghai, China. The biggest differences between the American and Chinese diner experiences are that in NYC diners are pretty much open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and often can accommodate over 100 customers.

Midnight_Diner_poster.jpg

However, the diner in the film opens at midnight and closes around dawn and is much smaller, with no tables, just 10 counter seats. It's a much more personal dining experience.

The film marks the directorial debut of actor Tony Leung Ka Fai who also stars as Master, the owner and chef of the diner. There are no menus. Master either takes requests, or makes suggestions that are always accepted.

Among the customers are a few regulars, and a revolving door of others who drop by, sometimes never to return, but more likely to show up again. They all are impacted by their visits, and almost always for the better. What everyone has in common is that feelings are elicited by Master's dishes.

There is no real plot to speak of in "Midnight Diner." Instead it's a series of vignettes that sometimes stand alone and sometimes blend into each other. It's more of a feeling than a story. Sometimes this works beautifully and sometimes drags a bit. To me, viewing the film was like experiencing a good meal, and that's always a pleasure.

What did you think?

Movie title Midnight Diner
Release year 2019
MPAA Rating NR
Our rating
Summary A small diner in a back alley in Shanghai is a magnet for some regulars and drop-ins in this appetizing comedy-drama.
View all articles by David Kempler
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