A Chinese comedy which seeks to examine the way in which new technology and habits are replacing the old traditional elements of Chinese society. Set mainly in a bath house in a run-down area, we join the owner, an old man, his retarded son, and his estranged, successful, first born, who comes on a visit thinking his father was dying. The storyline is mainly a device to contrast the old and traditional with the new and modern, making the point that even though we now build huge blocks of flats to house large numbers of people, these complexes do not have the same sense of community and cameraderie that the slum areas they replace used to have. All the plot points revolve around water and bathing in one way or the other. Chinese with English subtitles.
92 minutes, Parental Guidance
Comedy, Male conflict & bonding, On the Art Circuit
Ian Douglas: A delightful Chinese comedy, with, as is par for the genre, lots of social commentary and a ''hidden'' story behind the obvious. Interesting for its look at Chinese life, which is both different and similar to our own Western society.
