Heung gong yau gok hor lei wood (2001)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Fruit Chan

Writers:

Fruit Chan (writer)
Kee-To Lam (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 January 2005 (Israel)

Plot:

A prostitute named Tong Tong enters the life of a man who runs a barbecue pork restaurant and quickly begins to ruin his life, as well as the life of his two rotund sons, and a local gangster. |

Awards:

6 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

Xun Zhou	...	Hung Hung / Tong Tong
Glen Chin	...	Mr. Chu
You-Nam Wong	...	Wong Chi-Keung
Sze Ping Leung	...	Tiny Chu
Wei-Men Hu	...	Doctor Liu
Kit Man Tam	...	Ah Lui
Kam Li Wan	...	Mainland Shop Assistant
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
King Lung Chan	...	Young Gangster
Wai Keung Chan	...	Postman
Wai Hung Fong	...	Lawyer - Peter Chau
Sai Man Ho
Jupiter	...	Photographer
Jun La Koo	...	Nurse
Lai King Kwong	...	Couple at Store
Wing Cheung Lai	...	Police
Ka Dung Li	...	Young Gangster
Karuna Morris	...	Fat Rich Woman
Kam Yiu Ngai	...	Young Gangster
Anthony Ng	...	Driver with wrong hand
Tsou-choi Tsang	...	Calligrapher
Chi Fat Wong	...	Couple at Store
Kai Hing Wong	...	Young Gangster
Tak Him Wong
Hang Hing Yuen	...	Young Gangster
Lok Man Yu	...	Young Gangster

Also Known As:

Hollywood Hong-Kong (International: English title)

Runtime:

Italy:102 min (Venice Film Festival) | USA:108 min

Country:

Hong Kong | France | UK | Japan

Language:

Cantonese

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

Capitol Films

Oscar-winning Hollywood it isn't

Hollywood Hong Kong may have won several awards, but the question that lingers in my mind is why? It's a typical art-house movie, but there really isn't much that is outstanding at all.

The plot centres around a 'shanty-town' in the shadows of 'Hollywood', a housing estate in Hong Kong. A prostitute arrives in the town with desires to travel to America. Meanwhile, a barbecue pork seller struggles to make ends meet, and things get worse when the girl arrives, as she turns the lives of the him, his family and other residents upside down.

The plot is fairly simple and there's really not much to say about it. However, the film allows the viewer an insight into the lives of about half a dozen characters and does this well. But otherwise there is very little to shout about it.

Hollywood Hong Kong probably is a little special as not many art-house films originate there. But nonetheless, I feel this is one film that may be overrated.

One to watch if you're bored or looking for insight.