Catfish in Black Bean Sauce
Encyclopedia
Catfish in Black Bean Sauce is a 1999 comedy-drama
film about a Vietnam
ese brother and sister raised by an African American
couple. The film stars Chi Muoi Lo, Paul Winfield
, Sanaa Lathan
, and Mary Alice
.
). Dwayne excuses himself claiming he forgot something. We see a frantic Dwayne rushing to his bedroom. He grabs a small red box (obviously an engagement ring) a rose and some champagne. When he returns to the living room however he finds his roommate, Michael (Tyler Christopher), and his new transgender
girlfriend (Wing Chen) waiting there. He quickly puts the ring away as he and Nina head to Dwayne’s parents’ house for a barbecue
.
On the way over, Dwayne fails to stop for a stop sign and is pulled over by a cop who asks him to step out of the car. He spots the ring and tells Dwayne that Nina is way out of his league and to enjoy it while it lasts. This makes Dwayne question himself and his relationship with Nina.
At the barbecue, the family has a debate over the difference between saying “this Saturday” and “next Saturday”. Dwayne, having had enough of the debate, proposes to Nina offhandedly. She says yes just as Mai (Lauren Tom
) walks in. Mai lets the family in on a some news: she's located their birth mother, Thanh, and she's flying her to LA. Dolores takes the news hard and worries she’ll be replaced, running off to the bathroom as Nina follows behind. Harold is more optimistic, and Dwayne pretends to be indifferent.
There is a brief flashback to when Mai was young and she yells at Dolores saying “you’re not my mother” and runs to hug Harold. This particular scene makes it obvious that Mai and Dolores have never quite learned to get along.
At the airport, Mai cries when she sees her mother, while Dwayne has no reaction. As they all sit down for a family dinner it is clear Dolores feels like she is being replaced. As everyone goes to leave, Thanh demands to go with Dwayne/Sap despite the extensive preparations Mai has made for her at her house.
Thanh worries about Dwayne and doesn’t think Nina is the right girl for him (its unclear if this is because she’s black or because she’s gone a lot) and tells Mai. Nina goes to Mai’s for lunch one day and tells her that she ought to be more affectionate with Dwayne. Nina feels like she has been affectionate enough but Mai tells her she should try harder.
Harold’s birthday arrives and no one shows up for the party. Dolores has a fit and blames it on Thanh’s arrival Harold gets frustrated and has a heart attack.Mai rushes to the hospital to meet Dolores. The two have a fight. Dolores blames Mai saying “we’ve served our purpose you don’t need us anymore”. The doctor tells the two that Harold will be ok. Dolores tries to apologize but Mai leaves telling Dolores to spend time with Harold.
The next day Dwayne calls to tell Dolores that he’s heard the news. Dolores is clearly upset that he wasn’t there and so is Dwayne. Wanting to be more affectionate, Nina prepares a big dinner for the two of them. Dwayne arrives and suggests the two break up. Finally, there is an all out war with everyone: Thanh and Dolores, Nina and Dwayne, Samantha and Michael ending when Michael’s girlfriend literally lifts Dolores and Thanh in the air to separate them.
The next day Mai comes over to help with Harold’s food. Dolores says she doesn’t need help but Mai goes in to hug her; this is the first time there is a sense of understanding between the two. Mai realizes that Dolores has been more of a mother and treated her far better than Thanh.
Over a game of monopoly Dwayne, Mai, Dolores, and Harold discuss the fact that Dwayne has broken up with Nina. Everyone thinks he’s stupid for doing it because they all know she loves him. Mai tells Dwayne that Nina has accepted a job in NY and is going to take it. Dwayne realizes he’s made a huge mistake and runs to go find her. Eventually he does and everyone finally gets along. The movie ends with a big family dinner over which Dolores and Thanh nod in understanding and play a game of Monopoly
together.
review noted that as the film’s writer/director/actor Chi Muoi Lo “spread himself too thin, resulting in an uneven picture but one that has plenty of substance and emotion". Roger Ebert
wrote that the film was “a first draft for a movie that could have been extraordinary”. The San Francisco Chronicle
noted that the film was “a comedy of interracial wariness and misunderstanding marked by a refreshing lack of sappiness”.
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
film about a Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese brother and sister raised by an African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
couple. The film stars Chi Muoi Lo, Paul Winfield
Paul Winfield
Paul Edward Winfield was an American television, film, and stage actor. He was known for his portrayal of a Louisiana sharecropper who struggles to support his family during the Great Depression in the landmark film Sounder which earned him an Academy Award nomination. Winfield also portrayed Dr....
, Sanaa Lathan
Sanaa Lathan
Sanaa McCoy Lathan is an American actress and voice actress. She has starred in numerous movies, including the box-office hits Love & Basketball, Alien vs. Predator, Something New, and The Family That Preys. Lathan was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance on Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun...
, and Mary Alice
Mary Alice
Mary Alice is an American actress.Alice was born Mary Alice Smith in Indianola, Mississippi, the daughter of Ozelar and Sam Smith. In 1987 she received a Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her work in Fences...
.
Plot
The story begins with Dwayne (Chi Muoi Lo), Dolores (Mary Alice), and Harold (Paul Winfield) playing a game of cards with Dolores trying to convince Dwayne to take a cat Harold found on the way home. Dwayne thinks there is clearly something wrong with the cat and refuses to take it. One afternoon, Dwayne in his living room with his girlfriend Nina (Sanaa LathanSanaa Lathan
Sanaa McCoy Lathan is an American actress and voice actress. She has starred in numerous movies, including the box-office hits Love & Basketball, Alien vs. Predator, Something New, and The Family That Preys. Lathan was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance on Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun...
). Dwayne excuses himself claiming he forgot something. We see a frantic Dwayne rushing to his bedroom. He grabs a small red box (obviously an engagement ring) a rose and some champagne. When he returns to the living room however he finds his roommate, Michael (Tyler Christopher), and his new transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
girlfriend (Wing Chen) waiting there. He quickly puts the ring away as he and Nina head to Dwayne’s parents’ house for a barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
.
On the way over, Dwayne fails to stop for a stop sign and is pulled over by a cop who asks him to step out of the car. He spots the ring and tells Dwayne that Nina is way out of his league and to enjoy it while it lasts. This makes Dwayne question himself and his relationship with Nina.
At the barbecue, the family has a debate over the difference between saying “this Saturday” and “next Saturday”. Dwayne, having had enough of the debate, proposes to Nina offhandedly. She says yes just as Mai (Lauren Tom
Lauren Tom
Lauren Tom is an American actress and voice actress perhaps best known for her roles as Lena St Clair in The Joy Luck Club, Julie in the TV series Friends, and for providing the voices for both mother and daughter characters on two animated TV comedy series: on Futurama she voices Amy Wong and her...
) walks in. Mai lets the family in on a some news: she's located their birth mother, Thanh, and she's flying her to LA. Dolores takes the news hard and worries she’ll be replaced, running off to the bathroom as Nina follows behind. Harold is more optimistic, and Dwayne pretends to be indifferent.
There is a brief flashback to when Mai was young and she yells at Dolores saying “you’re not my mother” and runs to hug Harold. This particular scene makes it obvious that Mai and Dolores have never quite learned to get along.
At the airport, Mai cries when she sees her mother, while Dwayne has no reaction. As they all sit down for a family dinner it is clear Dolores feels like she is being replaced. As everyone goes to leave, Thanh demands to go with Dwayne/Sap despite the extensive preparations Mai has made for her at her house.
Thanh worries about Dwayne and doesn’t think Nina is the right girl for him (its unclear if this is because she’s black or because she’s gone a lot) and tells Mai. Nina goes to Mai’s for lunch one day and tells her that she ought to be more affectionate with Dwayne. Nina feels like she has been affectionate enough but Mai tells her she should try harder.
Harold’s birthday arrives and no one shows up for the party. Dolores has a fit and blames it on Thanh’s arrival Harold gets frustrated and has a heart attack.Mai rushes to the hospital to meet Dolores. The two have a fight. Dolores blames Mai saying “we’ve served our purpose you don’t need us anymore”. The doctor tells the two that Harold will be ok. Dolores tries to apologize but Mai leaves telling Dolores to spend time with Harold.
The next day Dwayne calls to tell Dolores that he’s heard the news. Dolores is clearly upset that he wasn’t there and so is Dwayne. Wanting to be more affectionate, Nina prepares a big dinner for the two of them. Dwayne arrives and suggests the two break up. Finally, there is an all out war with everyone: Thanh and Dolores, Nina and Dwayne, Samantha and Michael ending when Michael’s girlfriend literally lifts Dolores and Thanh in the air to separate them.
The next day Mai comes over to help with Harold’s food. Dolores says she doesn’t need help but Mai goes in to hug her; this is the first time there is a sense of understanding between the two. Mai realizes that Dolores has been more of a mother and treated her far better than Thanh.
Over a game of monopoly Dwayne, Mai, Dolores, and Harold discuss the fact that Dwayne has broken up with Nina. Everyone thinks he’s stupid for doing it because they all know she loves him. Mai tells Dwayne that Nina has accepted a job in NY and is going to take it. Dwayne realizes he’s made a huge mistake and runs to go find her. Eventually he does and everyone finally gets along. The movie ends with a big family dinner over which Dolores and Thanh nod in understanding and play a game of Monopoly
Monopoly (game)
Marvin Gardens, the leading yellow property on the board shown, is actually a misspelling of the original location name, Marven Gardens. The misspelling was said to be introduced by Charles Todd and passed on when his home-made Monopoly board was copied by Charles Darrow and thence to Parker...
together.
Cast
- Chi Muoi Lo as Dwayne Williams/Sap
- Sanaa LathanSanaa LathanSanaa McCoy Lathan is an American actress and voice actress. She has starred in numerous movies, including the box-office hits Love & Basketball, Alien vs. Predator, Something New, and The Family That Preys. Lathan was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance on Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun...
as Nina - Paul WinfieldPaul WinfieldPaul Edward Winfield was an American television, film, and stage actor. He was known for his portrayal of a Louisiana sharecropper who struggles to support his family during the Great Depression in the landmark film Sounder which earned him an Academy Award nomination. Winfield also portrayed Dr....
as Harold Williams - Mary AliceMary AliceMary Alice is an American actress.Alice was born Mary Alice Smith in Indianola, Mississippi, the daughter of Ozelar and Sam Smith. In 1987 she received a Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her work in Fences...
as Dolores Williams - Lauren TomLauren TomLauren Tom is an American actress and voice actress perhaps best known for her roles as Lena St Clair in The Joy Luck Club, Julie in the TV series Friends, and for providing the voices for both mother and daughter characters on two animated TV comedy series: on Futurama she voices Amy Wong and her...
as Mai - Kieu ChinhKieu ChinhKieu Chinh is a Vietnamese American actress best known for her role in The Joy Luck Club...
as Thanh - Tyler Christopher as Michael
- Tzi Ma as Vinh
- George WallaceGeorge Wallace (comedian)George Henry Wallace is an American comedian and actor. He is number 93 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time.-Early life:...
as James - Wing Chen as Samantha
- Amy Tran as Young Mai
- Kevin Lo as Young Dwayne/Sap
- Kevin D’Arcy as Guard 1
- Andre Rosey Brown: Guard 2
- Ron Galbraith as Doctor
- Calvin Nguyen as Teacher
- Richard F. Whiten as Motorcycle Cop
- Lalanya Master as Bank Teller
- Mark Daniel Cade as Assistant Bank Manager
- Jedda Jones as Agnes
- Roxanne Reese as Nadine
- Saachiko Magwili as Mother
- William Thomas as Douglas
- April Tran as Interpreter
- Thomas Ryan as Lt. Davis
- Carol Kiernan as Nurse
- Thu Hong: Opera Singer
- Ho Lo as Man at Airport
- Vien Hong as Transvestite
Reviews
The film has received mixed reviews. A Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
review noted that as the film’s writer/director/actor Chi Muoi Lo “spread himself too thin, resulting in an uneven picture but one that has plenty of substance and emotion". Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
wrote that the film was “a first draft for a movie that could have been extraordinary”. The San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
noted that the film was “a comedy of interracial wariness and misunderstanding marked by a refreshing lack of sappiness”.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | First Americans in the Arts Awards First Americans in the Arts First Americans in the Arts is a non-profit organization based in Beverly Hills, California. According to its website, the organization was created "to recognize, honor and promote American Indian participation in the powerful arena of the entertainment industry, incorporating the areas of film,... |
Won | Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Film) | Tyler Christopher |
| 1999 | Florida Film Festival Florida Film Festival The Florida Film Festival, produced by Enzian Theater in Maitland, Florida, is an annual international film festival. Showcasing the best American independent and foreign films, the festival has become one of the most respected regional film events in the United States.-Overview:The Festival... |
Won | Best Narrative Feature | Chi Muoi Lo |
| Best Narrative Feature | Chi Muoi Lo | |||
| 2001 | Political Film Society | Nominated | Exposé | |
| 1999 | WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival | Won | Theatrical Feature Films - 004 | Chi Muoi Lo |