Written and directed by Muye Wen, co-written by Qunli Lang and Wei Zhong, seeking a fresh start, chef Xu Fu travels to the Middle East to support his family and repay his debts. Alongside restaurant manager Ma Junsheng, he transforms the struggling Dragon Restaurant into a thriving business. But when war engulfs the city, their hard-won success is shattered, and the restaurant becomes a refuge for those caught in the conflict. Starring: Shen Teng, Jiang Qiming, Omar Sherif, Aarif Rahman, Sherif Sabry, Ahmed Salim, Faruk Muhammad, Russell Shealy, Naira Al-Qasim and Karma Hazim.
A lot of the time with this type of Chinese cinema, you’ll find a rosy lens, a lot of sentimentality and theatricality, and while Once Upon a Time in the Middle East starts out with a familiar high energy and big personality, what lies beyond that is genuinely surprising and sincere. The way that this story moves and the numerous layers it has to add, with so much sadness, grief and painful obstacles to battle through, is unexpectedly moving.
It absolutely captures the lighter side of things, the joy of cooking and how much food truly means in living well and within your memories and connections, but it also wades through a very difficult journey. The level of conflict and fear that the filmmakers put these characters through is harrowing, and that’s a definite step away from the norm. There’s some serious weight to it, and an authenticity to its conflict and violence.
Partly in thanks to some excellent visual and effects work which is another surprise in a film of this nature, its explosive moments feel drawn straight from an action film. It’s one hell of a story, and it moves very well. That of course has a lot to do with the pacing and the way that the progression consistently has new obstacles to throw at these characters to test their resilience. It’s also down to the performances from Shen Teng, Jiang Qiming and Omar Sherif.
Ten and Qiming craft these beautifully compassionate, kind, dedicated characters. Their commitment to doing the right thing and trying to serve the community is endearing. Their strength in the face of insurmountable odds is ceaselessly compelling. Adding Sherif into the mix only makes them even stronger, with Seif’s rebelliousness and fiercely protective nature for these two surrogate fathers who have given him a path forward. They make the perfect trio to lead this film.
Once Upon a Time in the Middle East is unexpected, moving and an incredible story. It’s a testament to strength and resilience, how people in the face of war keep going for the sake of their family and community. Shen Teng, Jiang Qiming and Omar Sherif all give wonderful performances, they’re effortless to watch and create such a strong connection with this surrogate family. The direction has so much tension to bring to the table, giving the film an authentic edge, which is well supported by the cinematography from Boxue Wang. It does a surprisingly great job of capturing how easy it us to turn against each other in times of conflict, and the devastating price we pay when we do.
