Dorathen Better Late Then Never

DipitySkillful an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

Brennan Camacho Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Marva-nova Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

codypa The General Tso dish is one of the most popular Chinese dishes today. It is mouthwatering and the most demanded in the Chinese Food Industry. This dish is blended to the American tastes, and will make you want to eat some General Tso chicken after you watch the movie. Just like it did to me. Before General Tso everybody loved Cashew Chicken. In the documentary it talks about who made that dish and the back story behind that. It was very lucky to how Cashew Chicken became popular and without his luck he might have never been famous for his widely known dish. Who is General Tso? General Tso was a man of Great Power long ago.The interviews with the Chinese people was very hysterical. I didn't know we would do something like that but it never fails me. Us Americans always try to make everything our own. This documentary is a good detective story and they keep hunting till they find the truth. They went all the way from New York to China to find answers. The truth is buried in layers of Chinese history. General Tso was a general in the 1800's for the Hunan province during the late Qing dynasty. It is unknown why the dish was named after him because he did not name the meal himself and it isn't known that he liked chicken as well. During the Gold Rush in the 1800's the Chinese poured into America and into different big cities. In despite of all the immigrants the Americans created the Chinese Exclusion Act after the rise of Immigrants due to the Gold Rush. Basically attempted to get rid of all the Chinese out of the country. They lost their jobs and had no way of making money due to the discrimination and hatred from Americans. So they turned to owning their own business, and they discovered that if they tend to American taste with Chinese food then they can make money. In China they interviewed a few people about who General Tso is and what they think of the dish. When asked it was comical what their reaction was to the dish and what it was named. General Tso chicken never was heard of, until it became available in Chinese restaurants in the 1970's. One person they interviewed was a collector of Chinese restaurant menus. He had them dated back to the 40's. He held the Guinness World Record for the most number of Chinese menus. He also had a very interesting item which you don't see very often. So old that he had to make a copy of it to preserve it. General Tso has a Museum in China that most people don't know about. They took a tour of it, and they have a portrait of the famous General that everybody has been wanting to see. Nobody knows what he looks like and everyone just knows the name. This documentary definitely explained the whole back story behind the famous dish. It was very interesting and I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in documentaries.

Daniil Kharms First off, this movie is very entertaining. I say that up front, because you might think, "how can a movie about a single Chinese dish be interesting?" Well, it is. And more than that it's a fun watch, and even enlightening.But, it needs to be said that part of the reason it is so, is because it's much more than a documentary about General Tso's chicken; it's a discussion about the Chinese in America. cultural appropriation, the spirit of resilient people, and of course Chinese food in general. No pun intended.The actual story behind the recipe - and I'd love to try the original as it looks much better than the sickly sweet stuff you'd find in a food court - is fascinating, and the originator is a character (that has the best line in the entire movie). But I think the thing that will stick with people more than anything else is how much Chinese food in America is a window into the Chinese experience in America. Highly recommended.

sddavis63 I often tell people that I spent two weeks in China and never saw a single chicken ball! My point, of course, is that what we in North America call Chinese food isn't really Chinese food. But, whatever, it's so darn good! And I admit that I love General Tso's Chicken. If I'm in a Chinese restaurant, I'm having some! And every time I order it, I wonder, "who was General Tso?" And then this documentary popped up on Netflix. I had to watch it. And it's worthwhile, and very enjoyable.First, there really was a General Tso! Apparently he was from Hunan - I spent some of my two weeks in China in Hunan and never heard him mentioned that I remember, but that's where he was from. A supposedly successful general in the 19th century who never lost a battle and was a fierce defender of Chinese culture, which makes me wonder (and the point is raised in the film) just how happy he would be about this new- fangled chicken dish that bears his name. Although apparently it originated in China - or, Taiwan to be more precise, invented by a chef originally from Hunan and who's none too happy about some of the variations that have appeared to his original recipe in Chinese restaurants around the world. "This is all nonsense" he says when looking at pictures of different versions of the dish. Interesting stuff.This is about more than just food, though. There are some thoughts about Chinese immigration and how the Chinese diaspora spread throughout the United States, some consideration of the industriousness of the Chinese people and the place of the now ubiquitous "Chinese restaurants" and how they've changed over the years, starting out as places that sold Chop Suey, and now with very diverse menus and some ethnic blends as well. There's thought given to the place of the Chinese community in the US, and although it was mentioned only briefly and not developed, there was some thought about possible racism (I suppose) with the mention that people expect Chinese food to be inexpensive, but they'll fork over big bucks for French food. (Not that there aren't expensive Chinese restaurants.)All very well done; all very interesting and enjoyable. It's for light viewing. Although, as I noted, there are more serious issues raised, they're not explored in depth. But if you love General Tso's Chicken and you have some interest in where it came from, this will be a worthwhile documentary to watch. (8/10)

bensonmum2 I'm not sure what I expected from The Search for General Tso, but I really got a lot out of it. Being a documentary, I suppose one of its main purposes is to inform and teach the viewer. A few things I learned:1. There really was a General Tso. He seems to have been a very proud man, intent on preserving Chinese culture. And, he never ate the chicken dish bearing his name.2. President Nixon's trip to China not only opened the doors for trade with China, but led to an explosion in Chinese restaurants across the U.S.3. General Tso's Chicken was not created in either China or the U.S. It made it's first appearance in 1955 in Taiwan. And Chef Peng, the creator of General Tso's Chicken, seems unamused in what has happened to his original dish as it's spread across every corner of the U.S.4. Just as I suspected, there is no agreement on how to pronounce Tso. I believe I heard at least four, maybe five, different pronunciations in the film. Pretty funny.Informative and entertaining, The Search for General Tso is a winner.