I would like to give a headline to this film review, “A Hong Kong Love Mockumentary” because Love in a Puff(志明與春嬌) is a love story which is very likely happened in Hong Kong and the film maker has deliberately added some seeming documentary interview scenes in between the whole film.
Since the implementation of anti-smoking law that bans indoor smoking started from 1 July, 2007, some smokers have started to gather for smoking at the backstreet near their workplaces. An advertising executive, Chi Ming and a cosmetics salesgirl, Chun Giu met in that specific situation and then their love story unfolded.
This is a very local Hong Kong film as many Hong Kong cultural symbols appeared throughout the film.
Specific structure of the Hong Kong society:
Interestingly, the smokers of different ethnicities (the local Hongkongers, the Chinese new immigrant and the Indian) and various social statuses (the advertising executives, the cosmetics salesgirl, the receptionist of a Chinese restaurant, the hotel bellboy, the pizza delivery worker) situated at the same smoking point. The director tried to draw a real picture of Hong Kong—the hybridism of culture. Besides, there is one funny scene that Chi Ming and Chun Giu pretended they were the Japanese and Korean tourists by saying some very simple Japanese and Korean languages while they were charged by a Tobacco Control Inspectors. Ridiculously, the Inspector’s attitude changed to be friendly when he realized that they were the “Japanese and Korean”. This is an ironic scene which implicitly tells that Hong Kong people are used to worship foreign cultural symbols. In a positive speaking, we can say that general Hong Kong people can accept foreign culture.
Hong Kong people’s specific social practice:
Throughout the film, a number of settings and the characters’ behaviors are very familiar to the local Hong Kong audience and it is easy for us to identify with them. Language and social life in the film is a representation and the embodiment of Hong Kong culture.
Language: The foul language and slang are the symbol of Hong Kong. “Diu Nei (Fxxk you)” was repeated again and again in the film. It is the common foul language that can be heard in every corner of Hong Kong. Hong Kong slang like “Da Yin Pao(打煙炮)”[1]and “Dan Chung(彈鐘)”[2]was said by the characters and can be solely understood by the local Hong Kong audience. Besides, the hybridity of Cantonese and English is a key characteristic of Hong Kong culture due to the British colonial rule before 1997. We can see this characteristic while Chun Giu told Chi Ming her email address was “armchannel@ymail.com”. However, Chi Ming misunderstood that her email was “啱channel@ymail.com”.
Social life: Throughout the film, the characters were situated in some familiar scenes. For example, the 7-Eleven Convenience Store was the place that Chun Giu met Chi Ming for the first time; Chun Giu had party with friends in Causeway Bay CEO Neway Karaoke Box; Chun Giu accompanied her friend to meet the Internet lover in a Hong Kong style cafe near a Hong Kong famous hourly hotel, Victoria. All these are the familiar places that we have gone to or passed by. Besides, some familiar social activities like having hot pot, drinking in the bar and sending sms to friends are part of the Hong Kong people’s life nowadays.
All in all, Love in a Puff is full of Hong Kong characteristic. In addition, the mockumentary element was added to make the film more seemingly real. While I was enjoying the film in the cinema, I could hear numerous times of laughing and giggling. I guess the audience around me could identify with the characters as I did.
Footnotes:
[1]“Da Yin Pao” means sucking smoke from a cigarette into the mouth and let it out again but the smoke does not really go into the lung.
[2]“Dan Chung” is a situation while a customer requests to cancel the sex service or change the prostitute at the last moment due to his discontent to the prostitute.
Wong, Yuk Chu Florence (CIDP student ID: 10228529)
Since the implementation of anti-smoking law that bans indoor smoking started from 1 July, 2007, some smokers have started to gather for smoking at the backstreet near their workplaces. An advertising executive, Chi Ming and a cosmetics salesgirl, Chun Giu met in that specific situation and then their love story unfolded.
This is a very local Hong Kong film as many Hong Kong cultural symbols appeared throughout the film.
Specific structure of the Hong Kong society:
Interestingly, the smokers of different ethnicities (the local Hongkongers, the Chinese new immigrant and the Indian) and various social statuses (the advertising executives, the cosmetics salesgirl, the receptionist of a Chinese restaurant, the hotel bellboy, the pizza delivery worker) situated at the same smoking point. The director tried to draw a real picture of Hong Kong—the hybridism of culture. Besides, there is one funny scene that Chi Ming and Chun Giu pretended they were the Japanese and Korean tourists by saying some very simple Japanese and Korean languages while they were charged by a Tobacco Control Inspectors. Ridiculously, the Inspector’s attitude changed to be friendly when he realized that they were the “Japanese and Korean”. This is an ironic scene which implicitly tells that Hong Kong people are used to worship foreign cultural symbols. In a positive speaking, we can say that general Hong Kong people can accept foreign culture.
Hong Kong people’s specific social practice:
Throughout the film, a number of settings and the characters’ behaviors are very familiar to the local Hong Kong audience and it is easy for us to identify with them. Language and social life in the film is a representation and the embodiment of Hong Kong culture.
Language: The foul language and slang are the symbol of Hong Kong. “Diu Nei (Fxxk you)” was repeated again and again in the film. It is the common foul language that can be heard in every corner of Hong Kong. Hong Kong slang like “Da Yin Pao(打煙炮)”[1]and “Dan Chung(彈鐘)”[2]was said by the characters and can be solely understood by the local Hong Kong audience. Besides, the hybridity of Cantonese and English is a key characteristic of Hong Kong culture due to the British colonial rule before 1997. We can see this characteristic while Chun Giu told Chi Ming her email address was “armchannel@ymail.com”. However, Chi Ming misunderstood that her email was “啱channel@ymail.com”.
Social life: Throughout the film, the characters were situated in some familiar scenes. For example, the 7-Eleven Convenience Store was the place that Chun Giu met Chi Ming for the first time; Chun Giu had party with friends in Causeway Bay CEO Neway Karaoke Box; Chun Giu accompanied her friend to meet the Internet lover in a Hong Kong style cafe near a Hong Kong famous hourly hotel, Victoria. All these are the familiar places that we have gone to or passed by. Besides, some familiar social activities like having hot pot, drinking in the bar and sending sms to friends are part of the Hong Kong people’s life nowadays.
All in all, Love in a Puff is full of Hong Kong characteristic. In addition, the mockumentary element was added to make the film more seemingly real. While I was enjoying the film in the cinema, I could hear numerous times of laughing and giggling. I guess the audience around me could identify with the characters as I did.
Footnotes:
[1]“Da Yin Pao” means sucking smoke from a cigarette into the mouth and let it out again but the smoke does not really go into the lung.
[2]“Dan Chung” is a situation while a customer requests to cancel the sex service or change the prostitute at the last moment due to his discontent to the prostitute.
Wong, Yuk Chu Florence (CIDP student ID: 10228529)
Hi Avin! I'm sorry that the footnote format is a bit weird due to the limitation of this blog system. (Flo)
ReplyDeletewo~~~Florence, you seem not watch the movie once since you would so remember what they say...I can't remember so clear >__< But I really like your review that pointing out the linkage between the movie and "Hong Kong" ~^^~
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorite movies this year! What’s a wise choice, haha. You have pointed out some major “cultural symbols”in the movie and tried to uncover their connotations. To be frank, these “symbols” or “icons” are really touching my heart and throw me back to my “youth” (which seems getting away from me now…sigh…). The examples cited are illustrative and appropriate, including places, communication practices, leisure experience, social life, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of hybridized culture is good and deserves deeper reflections. For the scene of pretending to be Japanese/Korean, it seems to insinuate our heavy reliance on tourism too. In short, this movie is consistent with the style of Director Pang, humorous and yet realistic, which echoes many of our (especially the "high jinks" scene) experience.
Hi Kathy! Frankly, I watched this film once only but I can remember it well since this film is special for me. Just like the people, if some people are special for me, I can remember them very well. Hey Kathy, you are one of them! *-^
ReplyDeleteHi Avin! Thanks for your comment. However, why you quoted the word "youth"? You are not old!! Okay, if you think you are old, it is appropriate to be old as you are a teacher. What about me? Same age as you but...
By the way, when I saw the acting of Yu Man-Lok, I thought of my best friend who is a Creative Director. I think he could act out the people who work in design industry.