But, still, when I saw The Golden Chicken's cover, those old pangs of bias started itching me. While I've learned to appreciate Steven Chow and others, HK comedy isn't really my favorite genre. But, I'm a film lover and I'll give it a chance, face my fear, and, thus, I met The Golden Chicken face to goofy cover face.

Luckless mugger Bong (Eric Tsang, an HK veteran of so many films, if you don't recognize his name or face, thats proof you just haven't seen many HK films) tries to rob Kum (Sandra Ng- Royal Tramp, She Shoots Straight) but a power blackout causes the two to become locked in the cubicle. In order to pass the time, Kam begins to tell of her life spent as a "chicken" or prostitute. She began her career in the late 70's when she was still a teenager. The homely girl had to make due with her charm and humor, eventually moving from the backroom of a fishball stand, to a massage parlor, and then a large hotel.

There are weird clients. There are famous ones (look for the superstar cameo!). There are sympathetic ones, like the kind, successful, single man who agrees to adopt her child when she unexpectedly becomes pregnant. She even has a little bit of love from a mystery client who appears to be a gangster. But, times change. The stock market crash in ‘87 hurts business. In the 90's, bumpkin girls coming in from the mainland begin to steal her thunder. Eventually, the hotel shuts down and she is forced back into the massage parlor business, and then she moves her wares, so to speak, into the modern age and the internet.

The interesting thread in Golden Chicken is how Kum's tales of her life parallels the economic lows in Hong Kong. It is a comedic film not content to just be funny- it also wants to comment on three decades of working class struggles. But it is a bit strange and not the most effective story because our working class hero is a prostitute and the films answer to the economically downtrodden is, "Just be happy, smile, soldier on, and everything will be okay." But, you know, it is a film that is more about comedy, not a social treatise. HK audiences made the film a hit, it was nominated for several awards, including Best Picture at the HK Film Awards, and it spawned a sequel.

Now, is it funny? Well, if you like HK comedy, you'll probably get a couple of chuckles from the film. I've never seen an HK comedy that was subtle. That isn't really a criticism, just a fact. Comedically, in every HK side splitter I've seen, the actors all seem to have attended the Lucille Ball and Jerry Lewis school of acting, that is, big, loud, mugging, and obviously aiming for laughs. It is a shamelessness, a goofiness, that, when done right, can become infectious. Sandra Ng is an HK comedic staple and she carries the entire film, quite a feat, making Kum a cartoonish, dim-witted, but earnestly good-hearted heroine. Her Drunken Master dancing is a sight to be seen, and I dare you not to chuckle at her factitious moaning when her obstetrician is examining her nether regions, which she explains as a "professional habit."

Conclusion: Worth a look for HK comedy fans. I wasnt rolling on the floor with laughter, but it did keep me involved...

A petty robber (Eric Tsang) walks into an ATM booth and desperately tries to get Kum (Sandra Ng) to hand over her account savings. Only problem is that Kum is as poor as he is and a subsequent power outage traps the two in the booth. To pass the time, Kum begins chronicling the story of her life. The life as a joyous, not so good looking, hooker trying to make a living during the most crucial times and events in Hong Kong...

That life story however isn't the most satisfying to follow. Golden Chicken, belonging to the comedy/drama genre, is not akin to total boredom but for the most part it becomes awfully close sadly. Director/co-writer Samson Chiu have previously received acclaim for smaller dramas such as Yesteryou, Yesterme, Yesterday & When I Fall In Love...With Both and certainly isn't the wrong directing choice. I should however say that Golden Chicken's existence is absolutely justified and in the end Samson has communicated a very heartfelt message about the struggling citizens of Hong Kong. That's all well and good but it can't be denied that underneath its polished surface, Golden Chicken is a trial for even the patient viewer.

Samson quickly establishes basic character arcs and decently, pace-wise, takes us through the life of our Golden Chicken (chicken is actually slang for hooker), Kum. Parallels can be drawn to Forrest Gump since she lives through some of the most happy but also painfully bad eras of Hong Kong. She isn't conveniently in the middle of it all though, just a Hongkie who is living in times like these, starting back in 1980. Being non-familiar with Hong Kong history and events proves to be no huge problem for a foreign audience because the filmmakers, without resorting to overexposition, explains well the key events such as the opening of the MTR, the effect Yuen Woo-Ping's movie Drunken Master had and the eventual economic hardships (The SARS outbreak hadn't happened at the time of the film's release). Our main character Kum, anchored very nicely by Sandra Ng, has the elements in place for a very sympathetic and uplifting character. She's probably the nicest hooker in town but probably the ugliest too, a fact that doesn't stop her from becoming a legend in the business (she has good hands...). Here, the prostitution is not portrayed as overly glamorous but not gritty either. Prostitutes or club hostesses don't work the streets and it's less of a tough environment therefore. Kum is someone we laugh with rather than at but here we have the main problem of what is the driving force of the film. She does win us over somewhat by the end but honestly, I wasn't too interested in her story. It's not actress Sandra Ng who is to blame but the script really doesn't give us much to be engaged in. Her adventures are episodic in nature and for the most part failed to interest this viewer. There are select moments of funny interaction between the customers and fellow chickens but those are mostly dealt with in the first act of the film. I think that the character is content with her life, despite having a son she's choosen never to meet, and wants to continue to make a living for as long as she can. Despite that arc, the episodes I described makes the plot rather flimsy in nature and it's not until the downbeat elements of the story enters that we begin to really care.

Everyone suffers from the economic crisis, including Kum, and Samson leaves the, only generally amusing, comedy behind and goes for our emotions instead. Golden Chicken here becomes stronger compared to its first two thirds and Samson firmly starts to plant the film's message into the audiences minds. Actually he does it through Andy Lau's cameo, quite a brilliant choice since he's such a popular icon in Asia and if I was a Hong Kong citizen I would walk away with a positive feeling about wanting to better your situation. Samson and writer Matt Chow are not being original or sophisticated with their message but that works and again, that makes Golden Chicken's existence very valid.

Where the movie does succeed fully is in the design. Veterans Hai Chung Man (director of Anna Magdalena), Dora Ng and Wong Bing Yu gives us design work of the highest caliber. The different colours and clothing of the 80s have great attention to detail and I can't really argue that it isn't correctly presented. I didn't pay attention to fashion during the 80s and I still don't now that we're past 2000. The cinematographer Jacky Tang doesn't do exemplary shots throughout but nicely captures the design work and the different eras we get to experience.

Behind the camera we have a huge list of industry veterans (composer Peter Kam and editor Peter Cheung for instance) and same applies to those in front as well. Sandra Ng, actually a very nice looking woman, is well-tailored for this comedy/drama role. Even though she starts the flashback at the age of 15, the attempt at making her younger isn't consciously well-done. It's mainly played for laugh which works also but Sandra proved in Portland Street Blues that her acting can convince us of youth, not a make-up job. Then, primarily through hair styles, she ages and emphasizes it with some good to great acting as well. She's equally up to the task of providing slapstick but Sandra's greatest strength is in acting out those heartfelt moments. In the end, despite a disinterest in the writing, you haven't been thoroughly sorry to follow this character up until 2002, much thanks to Sandra's thorough dedication.

Eric Tsang, mainly known for his comedy roles (I didn't say skills because I never found him funny) has really stepped up his drama output in the last few years. What won me over was his role in Metade Fumaca and recently, Golden Chicken and Going Home (part of the Three horror anthology) has cemented the fact that Eric is a terrific dramatic actor. He's not in this film a whole lot but his desperate wannabe robber, down on his luck because of Hong Kong's current state, is something the target audience should respond well to. He represents the common man and it's a great benefit to have someone like Eric who wins the audiences heart and sympathy. Eric's depressed looks and desperation is very honest and despite little screentime, it's a performance very much worthy of note. Along the way we get cameos from Eason Chan, Andy Lau plus solid support from Tony Leung Kar-Fai and, believe it or not, Alfred Cheung. Alfred (director of On The Run) plays Kum's doctor and while not a very important character, I liked his friendly and dry presence in this.

Golden Chicken did good business in Hong Kong and the Hong Kong people were the ones that fully identified with writers Samson Chiu and Matt Chow's message. However, I truly believe that even locally, some people could see flaws and ultimately Golden Chicken ranks as a fairly huge disappointment. The elements of a good movie are there but never flies like Samson Chiu wants to. It comes with very solid acting so if you're curious, it isn't a total waste of time. Considering the talent involved, this should've been much better though.

There's lots of funny and interesting stuff in Golden Chicken, but most of it will probably fall flat on those not versed in a bit of HK history -- both in real life and on film. As with Stephen Chow's movies, most of the humor is dependent on one's knowledge of HK pop culture and Cantonese. However, again, as is with Chow's films, where his performance often carries the movie for foreign viewers, Sandra Ng's character is so interesting and she plays it so well, that even the most naive HK movie viewer will probably enjoy this film, especially with some very funny cameos from actors like Andy Lau.

Golden Chicken is especially refreshing in this day and age of cookie-cutter teeny-bopper movies that a character like Sandra's is treated with respect and dignity, and allowed to be fleshed out instead of being turned into a cartoon. Instead of using a bunch of cheesy special effects or idiot pop stars as gimmicks, the film-makers actually used a smart script to tell their story. I only wish more movies of this type -- from anywhere in the world -- used this approach.