aka Mr. Chow Review | A Pure Delight From Beginning to End

Summary

• Celebrated artist and restaurateur Michael Chow recounts iconic film scenes in vivid detail, setting the stage for a remarkable and well-executed documentary about his life.
• Michael Chow's journey is a testament to resilience and reinvention, from overcoming childhood traumas and prejudice to becoming an actor, famous restaurateur, and celebrated abstract artist.
• aka Mr. Chow is a must-watch documentary for art lovers, movie fans, and foodies alike, offering a captivating portrait of a lively soul and inspiring viewers to live life with spunk and creativity.

In the opening moments of HBO’s new documentary aka Mr. Chow, celebrated artist and restaurateur Michael Chow vividly recounts the first scenes in several famous films. There’s Lawrence of Arabia, North by Northwest, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and many others. Those scenes play out as Chow’s voiceover captures the exact details — to the letter. It’s a wonderful way to open this remarkable and well-executed documentary about a captivating figure whose attention to detail and unrelenting passion made him famous. At one point, director Nick Hooker asks why those first scenes are so vital, especially for Chow, personally. The man doesn’t blink. “Is your birth important?”

To be sure, Michael Chow is one of the more enigmatic human beings you’ll come across. Grounded and fiercely focused on living his life as it were a piece of artwork, the man is a rare presence. Here’s somebody who was born in Shanghai, rose above childhood traumas, honored his heritage while battling prejudice in America, and went on to become an actor, famous restaurateur, and the celebrated abstract artist known as M, reinventing himself many times along the way.

If you’re an art lover, a movie fan, or a bona fide foodie, this documentary is for you. And even if you’re not any or all of those things, this is one documentary you don’t want to miss. Like Michael Chow himself, it’s a pure delight.

Meeting Mr. Chow

aka Mr. Chow is directed by Nick Hooker (AgnelIi) and written and edited by Emmy-winner Jean Tsien (The Apollo, 76 Days). The endeavor is an artistic feat, as captivating as it educational. But don’t expect to be browbeaten by a flurry of facts and nothing else. The documentary paints a portrait of a lively soul and gives audiences something to adhere to — living life with as much spunk and creativity as possible.

After introducing Michael Chow and breezing through key moments in his life — arriving in America at a young age, acting, art, and the launch of the famous high-end Mr. Chow restaurants in New York and L.A. — the documentary takes a deeper dive into Chow’s early years. He was born in Shanghai in 1938 and given two names, one from his Catholic mother (Michael) and one from his father, his surname Chow. Translated, his name means China’s Hero.

That he is. “Michael’s childhood was different from ours,” muses Cecilia Zhou, Chow’s sister, noting that his fate was sealed with asthma at a young age, thereby becoming the sole focus of his mother. “I lived like a prince,” Chow later confesses, revealed how protected and safe he felt in his mother’s care. That all changes in the 1950s, after Chow and one of his sisters is sent to England by their parents, hoping to give them a better life. Chow’s father, a giant of an actor at the time, didn’t always bond with the boy, but what’s refreshing here is how Chow recounts the special moments he had with his father before coming to America.

The doc moves audiences through Chow’s board school life and traces his path to becoming a bit player in movies, sometimes alongside his sister, who rose to become a working actress. Issues of prejudice surface, and as Chow recalls, it only fueled him further to never give up. There was something even marvelous to be expressed through him, and he would not be deterred.

A Thrilling Third Act

HBO

It’s not too often that a documentary subject seems too big for one sitting. That’s the case in aka Mr. Chow, which could have easier been extended into a three- or four-part experience. There’s simply so much about the man you want to know. Mostly, thanks to Chow and how well director Nick Hooker captures him, you just want to spend more time with the man.

The doc’s mid-section traces Chow’s cinematic adventures — he’d costar in outings such as Marco Polo and 55 Days at Peking — noting how movies impacted him growing up as a child back in Shanghai. There are some lovely black and white illustrations filtered into the mix as a way to capture some of Chow’s earlier years. We learn that Chow supported himself by acting and creating art, all of it painting a unique portrait of a determined soul.

Then, a new creative menu is revealed. Chow decides to also become a restaurant owner, giving birth to Mr. Chow in London on, of all days, Valentine's Day 1968. Top chefs hand-picked by Chow orchestrate the culinary wonders, serving up authentic Beijing cuisine. Celebs rush in. What fun it is to see Chow’s enterprise expand to L.A., where the likes of Marlon Brando, Jack Lemmon, Mae West — she’d get a standing ovation upon entering the restaurant — and other A-listers at the time flocked to the venue.

These aspects of Chow’s life are handled with grace and some nuance by the filmmaker, who is obviously as fascinated with Chow’s persona as he expects the audience to be. Something deeper emerges once the doc explores Chow’s art. He’d later become known as the artist M, and the doc offers a stunning look at his colorful, abstract canvases, and Chow’s artistic process.

aka Mr. Chow is a vibrant, glorious masterpiece. Rich, compelling, and inviting, there is so much to enjoy here, and director Nick Hooker balances the biographical aspect of Chow’s life with the traditional talking heads — Jerry Moss of A&M Records, film producer Brian Grazer, and others. Those wondering how the doc handles some of Chow’s traumas — leaving his family, soured relationships, career highs — take note: this man is somewhat of a mystical sage, offering audiences (whether he realizes it or not) a wonderful template on how to live an exceptional life. Just as endearing is how the filmmaker presents a man who, despite some of the pitfalls of fame and fortune in the West, managed to still celebrate his Chinese roots every step of the way. Dig in. This doc is delicious.

aka Mr. Chow is available on HBO and streaming on Max.