Review: Fruit Chan continues in his quest to work outside the Hong Kong machine. In an age and region saturated by romantic comedies and action flops, it is refreshing to see that a director exist with enough vision to bring an art house picture to a market that is caving in on itself with an overabundance of disposable entertainment.

In Hollywood Hong Kong we are introduced to Chu, the local roasted pork vendor, and his two sons, Tiny and Ming. Living a common life of the lower working class, these three go about there days butchering and selling off their edible swine to the passing consumers and hungry denizens of the district. Just down the block from Chu and the boys lives Keung, a young upstart with a website and a dream of amassing a stable of ladies with which to prostitute. Fancying himself the “Little Tiger” of the neighborhood, Keung’s dreams are to make it big using his harem of Chinese delights. Throw into this mix an alluring stranger named Hung Hung, with her sweet demeanor that unfortunately plays second fiddle to her desire to live the good life, and you have the foundation for this quirky little glimpse into the existence of the have-nots of Tai Hom.

The amazing part of this film is most certainly not the predictable storyline, but the manner in which it is delivered. Even though hands are chopped off, hearts get broken, and an all around sense of betrayal is in felt, the vibe of the film always manages to return to a state of harmless tomfoolery. This aspect is the true bait with which this spider sets its trap. With the aid of a delightful soundtrack, a scene consisting of something as gruesome as two men marching off to murder a woman with kitchen knives gradually turns into something capable of putting a smile on one’s face. That is not something that is easily achieved.

The film also does a great job of developing the lives of the characters. Hung Hung is the obvious center of this microcosm, but there is enough meat in the plot (no pun intended) to allow each character to grow with his own motives and desires. Even butcher Chu’s pet pig “mamma” gets some lime light when a crazed doctor forces her to make a jail break in order to save her own hide. If the subject matter of this film were dealt with in any other way it would not have been nearly as enthralling as it is.

Peculiar characters and bizarre twist aside, this film also has going for it a noteworthy aspect in the form of its aesthetic appeal. Carrying a look about itself that is far from typical, we find a lush pallet of colors to be discovered in the oddest of places. From the shades of pinks and browns in the fleshy hides of the butcher’s wares, to the hues of the seasons found in the rusted out sheet metal that endlessly lines the shacks and homes of the area, Fruit Chan truly reminds us that one man’s trash can be another man’s treasure.