Rating: M
Running Time: 103 minutes
Release date: 9 July 2010
Language: Cantonese with English subtitles
http://www.mercurycinema.org.au
This Hong Kong contemporary romantic comedy directed by Pang Ho-cheung premiered at the Hong Kong Fim Festival in 2010. It follows the story of Cherie (Miriam Yeung) and Jimmy (Shawn Yue) who happen to meet at an outdoor designated smoking area following the Hong Kong’s government ban on smoking indoors. It becomes a regular meeting place for Jimmy, an advertising executive, who has just become single again after finding out his girlfriend has cheated on him. Cherie a cosmetic sales girl starts flirting with Jimmy during their shared smoking breaks which then spills over into secretive text messages and meetings outside of smoko times. This acts as a catalyst in forcing Cherie to reexamine her relationship with her defacto which eventually results in their breakup. However Cheries new singledom changes the dynamic with Jimmy as it places enormous pressure on their fledgling relationship to suceed. Their intial attraction vanishes under the weight of responsibility of their actions. Will they be able to recapture that lost feeling? The characters are very likeable and believable and just underline the confusion and games that twenty somethings encounter in the dating world where sms rules over personal dialogue and the facebook facade protrays how we want the world to view us and not what is real.
The script, co written by director Pang with Heiward Mak is entertaining and makes good use of the metaphor of smoking as westernization of eastern cultures brings a sense of conflict and confusion. Under this background they bond together over their communal ritual encouraging each others addiction while trying to make sense of the new world order.
2.5/5 stars
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