Synopsis
On a three-month visa to Hong Kong, Shanghai-born Yan (performed by the award-winning Qin Hailu) makes a hard living as a prostitute. She takes multiple showers a day in an attempt to excise the grime. Meanwhile, immigrant girl Fan (Mak Wai-fan) lives on the sidestreets in fear, toiling as a dishwasher. When Yan’s pimp gets knocked out by a durian, it brings them together. But soon, Yan’s visa expires, and she is forced to return to her hometown. Fruit Chan’s first film in his Prostitution trilogy is a poetic and poignant rumination of the downtrodden poverty of the city-state. He juxtaposes life in the two cities of Mongkok and Shanghai through alternating visual kineticism and languidity. The economic burdens weigh down on their shoulders, guiding their actions which serve as a reflection of contemporary Asian afflictions. Despite it all, optimism arises.