A Chinese lawyer tries to execute the will of Sam Wong.

Sam Wong, the owner of a Chinese restaurant in London's Chinatown, dies in a phone booth. As a favor to her uncle, a young law student, Elaine Choy, agrees to probate Sam's will, but finds that the task is less than trivial. Sam's wife, daughter, son-in-law, cook, and two sons disagree on who should have which parts of the business. And two other beneficiaries remain frustratingly elusive. But in the search, Elaine and Sam's younger son, Mike, a restaurant owner himself, realize that they're not only exploring Sam Wong's life, but also their own cultural identities as both English and Chinese.—Kathy Li