The Dumpling Queen 水饺皇后 Review: A Stellar Ma Li Leads Andrew Lau’s Formulaic Biopic of the Late Wanchai Ferry Founder

At one point in The Dumpling Queen, Zang Jianhe (Ma Li) shares her thoughts about the popularity of Western food like “hamburgers, French fries and fried chicken are [being] sold [everywhere] across China.” Why can’t her dumplings do the same? Especially with its history spanning 2,000 years of tradition. This, in turn, triggers Zang to go global with her dumplings so everyone around the world can taste her dumplings. Her progressive mindset is what made her dumplings business soar to new heights.

Based on the true story of the famous Wanchai Ferry founder of the dumplings, who died in 2019 at 75, it’s nice to see Andrew Lau return to directing a movie which is primarily set in Hong Kong. It’s hard to imagine his name attached to a biopic, which seems like an odd choice. But then again, his filmography is always diverse with Lau exploring different genres from action to thrillers, rom-com and manhua genres.

Here, he sticks to the conventional biopic formula, leaving no cliches unturned from start to end. It’s even mawkishly sentimental in most parts, complete with predictable storytelling beats commonly associated with biopics. Like most inspiring true stories, the movie starts from the humble beginnings in the late 1970s as Zang and her two young daughters arrive at the railway station, eagerly awaiting to reunite with her husband, Huang (Kenny Wong Tak-Bun). It has been years since they have been together as Huang needs to tend to his business overseas.

However, the reunion proves to be short-lived after Zang discovers her husband is already married to another woman and even has a son in Thailand. Huang’s conservative mother (Paw Hee-Ching) isn’t particularly pleased with Zang giving birth to two daughters because she traditionally values a son the most. Too embarrassed to go back to her hometown, Zang and her daughters decide to settle in Hong Kong.

With no monetary child support after cutting ties with her husband, Zang is basically on her own, trying to find a place to live and getting a job. The fact that her passport has expired made things more complicated. But she’s fortunate enough to rent an affordable living space in a flat owned by the stern but compassionate landlady, Sister Hong (Kara Wai). The flat itself has a few shared tenants on the same floor. Among them are the compulsive gambler (Wong Cho-Lam) and his mild-mannered wife (Zhang Yamei) and their two children, a sex worker (Fiona Sit) and a tailor (Tai Bo).

Zang has to make do with low pay washing dishes at a restaurant as she continues to struggle to make ends meet. Things get worse when she suffers from a workplace accident. But it turns out to be a blessing in disguise after successfully getting compensation. Instead of looking for another job, she uses her money to open up a dumpling stall with the help of Uncle Dessert (Ben Yuen), who lives on the rooftop.

Her business doesn’t immediately take off, despite all the hard work and effort, trying to entice the customers coming in and out of the busy Wan Chai Pier. She and the rest of the vendors have to constantly deal with the police conducting their routine checks. One thing is for sure, she never gives up and even listens to opinions as she continues to improve her recipe for making homemade dumplings to cater to local taste buds.

It’s all familiar stuff in The Dumpling Queen, like a comfort food you’ve often tasted. Lau, working from Han Jianü and Zhang Mengchu’s screenplay, also incorporates a subplot revolving around Zang and a high-ranking police officer played by Zhu Yawen. More subplots are also added, most of them revolving around Zang’s fellow tenants. They are all perfunctorily handled, despite the supporting cast delivering the best they can in their otherwise stock-character archetypes.

If you can get past the movie’s overly sentimental approach, The Dumpling Queen remains a decent effort coming from the always erratic Andrew Lau. Ma Li is mainly the reason that keeps me invested in her journey from a struggling single mother taking care of her two daughters while earning a living to becoming a successful entrepreneur selling dumplings.

Ma Li’s committed performance is a top-notch acting showcase, and it helps that she is backed by a few reliable supports, namely Kara Wai and Ben Yuen. As formulaic as it may seem, it’s hard to deny that Lau’s overall direction is competent and delivers the necessary feel-good factor of a rags-to-riches true story.