R E V I E W
GOLDEN CHICKEN
PLOT / PRODUCTION / PERFORMANCES / RATING
GOLDEN CHICKEN has not received the international attention that has been accorded HERO and INTERNAL AFFAIRS, its fellow December 2002 cinema release mates in Hong Kong, but its modest yet effective charms prove that the Hong Kong film industry need not exclusively rely upon the martial arts or police genres to produce fresh and invigorating flicks.
A man (Eric Tsang) tries to hold up a woman (Sandra Ng) in a large ATM booth. The catch is that she's nearly broke. The man is not a professional thief; he's lost his job and fallen on hard times. He hasn't smiled in three years. A power outage strands them inside the ATM booth. To cheer the man up, the woman, named Kum, tells him stories. And what stories she has to tell…
Kum has been a prostitute (or chicken, in local slang) from the age of 15. When she turned 18, she found work as a club hostess -- a semi-respectable cover for her real source of income -- and rode out the '80's in high style. Like the rest of Hong Kong, however, she suffered an economic reversal in 1987, and life has been a series of minor highs and major economic lows ever since. She became a masseuse with the dawn of the 1990's, and by the end of the decade was advertising her wares on the Internet. Several of her clients made deep impressions on her life, including Richard (Wong Yap Wa), an awkward and shy man who helped her deal with an unexpected pregnancy; Richard's doctor (Alfred Cheung), who becomes her confidant; Professor Chan (played by a well-known Hong Kong superstar in disguise), who dispenses economics lessons as he enjoys Kum's 'one-handed grip'; a mysterious gangster; and another Hong Kong superstar (not in disguise, but more fun if you don't know who it is) who provides very helpful advice and encouragement.
For the most part GOLDEN CHICKEN rides along smoothly as a bawdy comedy, though social commentary and romantic sentiment is not entirely absent. Director Samson Chiu, working from a script he co-wrote with Matt Chow, selects key moments from the past quarter century of Hong Kong history to serve as backdrop for the film. To an outsider such as myself, living thousands of miles away, it looks like Chiu picked out events that he feels led to the current economic doldrums being suffered locally. Yet it's not a tale of doom and gloom. To the contrary, Chiu does not belabor the points he makes, and the fictional scenarios are not so didactic as to slavishly echo the historial backgrounds. Instead, the focus is on how Kum works to overcome every obstacle she faces.
The character of Kum would not likely be seen in a U.S.-originated film. Her childhood is never discussed, and she is entirely too upbeat, cheerful, and free from angst for a typical "hooker with a heart of gold," as Hollywood might portray her. In her portrayal of Kum, Sandra Ng hits another high point. She pokes fun at her own image in the past as an "less than attractive" girl redeemed by her sense of humor -- including her imitation of Jackie Chan's moves in DRUNKEN MASTER. The film rides on her shoulders, and she carries it off without appearing to strain.
Considering the time period covered and the undoubtedly low budget of the production, the filmmakers did an exceptional job and never call self-congratulatory attention to period details Pater Wong Bing-Yiu (TIRAMISU, JUST ONE LOOK) served as art director. Dora Ng Lei-Lo (HE'S A WOMAN, SHE'S A MAN) designed the wide variety of costumes. Peter Kam Pau-Tat (FULL ALERT, THE ACCIDENTAL SPY) composed the original musical score. Dang Hon Bong, a past colloborator with the director, was the cinematographer.
The film is rated Category IIB for a considerable amount of bawdy sex talk and innuendos.
REVIEW MEDIUM
The DVD from Panorama Entertainment looks OK. The image (widescreen on my 32-inch 4X3 television) appeared to display well-saturated colors, deep blacks, and natural-looking skin tones. I listened to the DTS Cantonese track, and it sounded adequate -- nothing in the dialogue-driven material is very demanding. Also included are DD 2.0 and DD 5.1 Cantonese and Mandarin tracks. The English subtitles were displayed in a readable font and were well-timed. Traditional and simplified Chinese subtitles are also included. My Sampo DVD player had problems with the layer change around the 55 minute mark -- it stuttured and stammered.
The bonus features (Cantonese only, no subtitles) are included on a second disk. They inlude a 12:37 "making of" (behind the scenes footage and interviews), a music video (cast members singing a traditional seasonal song), nearly four minutes of outtakes, and trailers for GOLDEN CHICKEN (featuring footage specially-shot for the trailer), THE EYE, and THREE. Information on five cast and crew members is included, as are two "Easter eggs" (hidden features).
RECOMMENDATION
Buy. The rare flick that successfully combines comedy with social commentary.
Copyright 2000-2003 by Peter A. Martin. All rights reserved.
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