runamokprods Sean Baker has made some really stunning micro budget films in recent years. Both his much lauded "Tangerine" and less known but equally excellent "Starlet" were wonderful comedy- dramas, artfully telling takes of those normally overlooked by mainstream cinema."Take Out" is not quite as strong as those later works, but is still well worth seeing.This verite style study of a Chinese food deliveryman's desperate rush to earn $800 to pay off the loan sharks that helped pay his way to the US has a nifty sense of almost documentary realism. The acting is very real and understated (by a mixed cast of actors and non-pros), and the tension level is high. I didn't have quite as strong a positive reaction as most of the critics for a few reasons. First, while avoiding movie clichés for the most part, a couple of key 'twists' are broadcast a mile off, dampening their impact. Also, by making his lead character such a cipher (he not only doesn't speak English, but seems inward and withdrawn even among his fellow Chinese), that it's hard to build up a connection with him as a character. Yes, we can pity his plight, but I wanted to understand what was going on in his head. Also, the shaky-cam shooting style occasionally called more attention to itself then I think it was intended to. It reminded me a bit in tone of Ramin Bahrani's terrific "Man Push Cart", but for me that early work had a little more poetry and richness. None-the-less, an intelligent, well-meaning micro budget film (it looks like it was shot on regular definition video), and - given my fondness for Baker's more recent films - I'll certainly go back for another look.

ironhorse_iv This foreign language movie delivers literally. Shih-Ching Tsou and Sean Bakers delivers a movie of a day-in-the-life of an unseen world of a illegal Chinese immigrant working as a deliveryman for a Chinese take-out shop in New York City. Film with limited to no budget, the film does so well what big blockbusters couldn't do, is beam light into living as a illegal in this country. While film in the US, the movie has mostly Mandarin speakers actors and non-actors with some English being spoken as well. Film in upper-Manhattan, the story starts out with Ming Ding (Charles Jang), waking up to find out that he's behind with payments on his huge debt to the smugglers who brought him to the United States. The collectors have given him until the end of the day to deliver the money that is due or else. After borrowing most of the money from friends and relatives, Ming realizes that the remainder must come from the day's delivery tips. In order to do so, he must make more than double his average daily income. Film in a 'run from the gun, race against time' social realist style action, the film touches on themes such as free will vs determinism, by having the camera follows Ming travels on his cheap bicycle on his deliveries throughout the upper Manhattan neighborhood where social and economic extremes exist side by side. Not only is the man working harder than he ever work better, but has to deal with the abuse from both weather, and from people. The rain during the deliveries scenes, was truly real during filming and it was one of the worst rain-fall in New York City's history and Ming was in it truly delivering food for a film. We find out that the reason why he's working so hard, is that Ming came to the United States with the goal of creating a better future for his wife and child back in China. It's ever so much tragedy when we watch the movie, cause you will start to feel for the character. While, the film is not all gloomy. A fellow delivery man and Ming's closest friend at the take-out helps him out by allowing him to take his side of the work. (Jeng-Hua Yu) Young is a happy-go-lucky slacker who provides comic relief to the mundane work day. He is the only one at the take-out who is aware of Ming's dilemma. Big Sister (Wany-Thye Lee) is a spunky woman with street smarts who juggles the orders and operations of the take-out. Surprising this woman is not a actress at all, she truly does work in the Chinese place. Last is Wei (Justin Wan), a cook at the take-out who has been in the country longer than most of the others. Wei's sense of seniority frequently lands him in minor disagreements of opinion and power with the other workers, mostly about Ming. The film was film during an actual take-out restaurant operating hours and it gives the realism of the film. It's was also note that most of the customers in the film, were not actors, and it was truly their real life doorsteps. They were pay 5 bucks for their time and given food. It was interesting how each people treated Ming from the impatient, tippers, non-tippers, distracted, the racist, or badgering him when the order get wrong. Look for a manipulative climactic twist toward the end. The film does have a repetitive, slow-paced raw and bleak nature to it. It's a very important film to watch. The next time you ask for food delivery to your house, make sure you tip them.

MichaelReviews The movie is shot so realistically I thought I was watching a documentary. The movie follows a day in the life of a Chinese food delivery boy, and all the difficulties that this line of work entails. The twist here is that this delivery boy is an illegal immigrant and has a significant debt to repay. I was surprised to see how difficult this line of work really is, and never really thought about the stories of the people who are doing this work. I wonder how many others delivery boys are in the same situation as the character in this film. There are times of heartfelt camaraderie between the workers of the Chinese restaurant, each willing to help the other out in times of greatest need. I certainly will be more generous with my tipping after having seen this film.

littlemes 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.