Chinese chick flick worth checking out

On my recent Air Canada flight back to Toronto from Vancouver I checked out the world movie selection and came across Neaui yan fau pui (All About Women).

It is a 2008 Chinese feature drama by Tsui Hark (so-called Spielberg of Asia) that is all about three young woman in Beijing trying to find true love. While it may sound typical the format is unusual, unexpected and a lot of fun. The story line flips between the three main characters who all take on somewhat stereotypical roles: the nerdy scientist, Ou Fanfan (Xun Whou), the bombshell business bitch, Tang Lu (Kitty Zhang), and the loner writer/rock chick Tie Ling (Lunmei Kwai).

The unique approach to each of their characters is humourous. The film shows Fanfan's apartment as a completely all-white stark condo that is devoid from any personality (and also reminded me of Ikea meets Mies van der Rohe, a combination I quite like). Tang Lu's feminine wiles makes each man fall, drop their mouths open and their cheeks blush bright red as she merely walks through the office. Ling's character talks to herself as she has a fantasy that she is constantly with her rock star boyfriend as she makes her way through the world.


So we have three fun, chic characters and add dashes of humour and adventurous filmmaking techniques (adding a cartoon bird while Ling was in the boxing ring was a favorite) and a whole lot of fashion and we have a unique fun chick flick. I couldn't help giggling to myself during many moments while on the crowded plane (I normally abhor people who do this).

But what is also fascinating is that I began to watch this film as I had just finished the beginning of my first script. I just had three hours of sleep and was listening to Cut Copy's "Future" and began to envision my first romedy. I had thought I would need some creative space before I began to embark on such a journey but there I was exhausted, hungover and a little spaced out and there was the magic concoction for my first flick.

So Tsui Hark's inspiration for this flick, according to bc magazine, was that he woke up hungover in Beijing a few years back and saw a painting with the line 'not all women are bad' and immediately began to craft the script.

While not all brilliance may come from hangovers, this is one chick flick that is sure to cure any mood.

 

See related posts:
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-Stiletto dreams don't fall short

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