| Having finished his trilogy of films dealing with the effects of the 1997 Handover on various Hong Kong inhabitants, Durian Durian opened up the chapter of prostitution on behalf of writer/director Fruit Chan. Not yet a trilogy or even said to be one, it probably will come as a surprise that Durian Durian connects fairly closely to Chan's previous effort (and his masterpiece so far), Little Cheung. Taking place prior to the events of that film , we see Fan (Mak Wai-Fan reprising her role) and her family living illegally in Hong Kong as immigrants waiting for the handover that will lift the restrictions of traveling between Hong Kong and the Mainland. Washing dishes on the street everyday, she also frequently catches glimpses of Mainland prostitute Yan (Qin Hai Lu, who was awarded the Best New Performer award in both Hong Kong and Taiwan). Yan comes to Hong Kong legally, logging 3 months of work to earn money for her future in China. But what awaits in the future really for either of these two?
Viewers familiar with Chan's work will immediately recognize or feel comfortable with the workings of Durian Durian. Again employing Lam Wah-Chuen's talents (cinematography and music), this independent drama walks the dirty back alleys of Hong Kong in a naturalistic, gritty way, allowing the non-professional actors plenty of space to work with. It helps if you're a fan already and there's something oddly fascinating about Chan's almost voyeuristic eye sometimes as the most ordinary details feels unique (such as Yan's problem with dried out skin after too many showers with clients). Repetitive imagery seemingly going nowhere or just being tangents of no particular importance adds nicely to an partly quirky atmosphere. This is all well and good and trademark Fruit Chan but what's the purpose for this one? As with his other films, you'll have to wait until the end credits before everything is clear to the full but Durian Durian despite will be a tester for your patience.
Proceedings are about the tedious motions and cycles of worklife which generates tedious filmmaking as well, a choice I'm pretty much in agreement with as the Hong Kong locale does provide us with glimpses into lives we rarely are allowed to see on film. The shifting of setting to the cold, harsh Northern China does initially feel like a breath of fresh air as we've almost gone 1,5 movie now with the exact same aura Little Cheung possessed. Despite, Yan's story and journey does not so much falter but drags as the drab surroundings in China does beat the movie onto its knees a little bit. The thematic of Yan resigning to her fate and not following through on dreams as everyone urges her to do remains interesting to follow and does come full circle at the end. But again, it's a fairly tedious ride getting there, making Durian Durian one for initiated viewers of Fruit Chan. Not necessarily a bad thing.
And what about the symbolism of the smelly, spiky durian fruit then? Well, I can only come up with feeble theories that goes hand in hand with Chan's thematics of the past. Namely that of outcast characters but with this film it also symbolizes taking next steps, pursuing the roads ahead after struggles etc. For Yan, the durian brings out a contrast in her bravery, leading to her ultimate decision. Whether you like it or not, it's there for the taking. Or maybe it's just a fruit.
The film also bagged a Taiwan Golden Horse Award for Best Picture while Fruit Chan screenplay was awarded both in Taiwan and Hong Kong... |
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