Laureen Chew

Dim Sum Take-Out shows how the heterogeneity and complexity of Asian American experiences can be erased. It was literally cut together from film that was shot for Dim Sum, which was conceived as a film about the ways in which five women of the Chinese diaspora—three American-born, a naturalized citizen, and a recent immigrant—try to balance their personal goals and the expectations of the Chinese American community in which they live. The original story line was thought to be too complicated and ambitious, and, ultimately, significant portions of Dim Sum were rewritten and reshot to focus on Geraldine, a second-generation Chinese American woman, and her relationship with her immigrant mother. However, footage that had already been shot for the film was edited together to create Dim Sum Take-Out, an eleven-minute film made up of narrative segments intercut with music video style segments, set to English- and Chinese-language versions of the song "My Boyfriend's Back."

In San Francisco, an immigrant Chinese widow welcomes the new year with some unhappiness: she's 62 now, she wants to make a trip to China to pay last respects to her ancestors, a fortune teller has told her this is the year she'll die, and a daughter, Geraldine, remains unmarried. Geraldine does have a boyfriend, but she's not sure she's ready for marriage, and, anyway, he lives in Los Angeles and Geraldine doesn't want to leave her mother alone in her declining years. Mrs. Tan's cheerful brother-in-law tries to help out. Is there any solution that will enable Mrs. Tan to hold onto her culturally-influenced and deep-seated hopes, yet keep those hopes from suffocating Geraldine?

Two cabbies search San Francisco's Chinatown for a mysterious character who has disappeared with their $4000. Their quest leads them on a humorous, if mundane, journey which illuminates the many problems experienced by Chinese-Americans trying to assimilate into contemporary American society.