SOURSWEET
UK, 1988, 110 minutes, Colour.
Sylvia Chang, Danny Dun, Jim Carter, Craig Fairbrass.
Directed by Mike Newell.
Soursweet is based on a celebrated novel by Timothy Ho. It shows an ethnic group trying to cope with life in London. While there have been several films on Pakistanis and West Indians in London (My Beautiful Laundrette, Sammy and Rosie Get Laid), there have been very few focusing on the Chinese from Hong Kong.
The film was directed by Mike Newell (Bad Blood, Dance With a Stranger, Amazing Chuck and Grace, The Good Father). It has a strong Chinese cast and they bring the characters quite vividly to life. However, there is almost too much material for the film - and the screenplay rushes very quickly from one scene to another, not enabling the audience to establish a rapport with the characters and an understanding of them. With these limitations, the film is interesting, portrays aspects of human nature and prejudice, highlights the life of the Hong Kong Chinese in Mrs Thatcher's Britain.
1. The focus on Hong Kong, the Chinese, Britain of the '80s? Ethnic groups? Prejudice? Adaptation?
2. The Hong Kong and British locations? The feel of London? Musical score and atmosphere?
3. The title, the reference to Chinese food, Chinese restaurants? The bittersweet story?
4. Audience interest in the characters and situation? Response to characters, race difficulties? Britain, social issues? Relationships? The Chinese gangs? The soursweet tone? The Hong Kong settings, the build-up to the wedding, the bride and her girlfriends, the boys, coming to see the bride? The parents, the ceremony? Enjoyment? The question of British citizenship? The transition to England?
5. The portrait of Chen: his age, marrying Lilli? Their little boy? Establishing their home, the house? Work, Chinese food, restaurants? The waiters? The gang bosses? Chen's father, the gambling, the debts? His being trapped? The pressure with the gangs, the members, the waiters? Carrying drugs? His silence and not telling Lilli? The arguing with her? Yet his love for her, his passivity? The decision to move?
6. Lilli, the young Hong Kong girl, the marriage, her son? Love for Chen? Lively and aggressive? Her life in England, hopes, wants? The tensions? Wanting the business? The relationship with her sister, at the wedding, in England, love and clashes?
7. The possibility of opening the business, Chen and the family leaving, disappearing? The new location, Con and his garage, the discussions and negotiations? Building the restaurant up, the opening, Lilli waiting, Con and his agreement, the phone, the customers? Lilli and her stern attitudes towards English youth? The sister and the Belgian truckie? Her relationships, pregnancy, trying to hide it, the shame? The build-up of their life in the restaurant, Chen and his work, hiding from the gangs?
8. The son, at home, his English accent, going to school, the pressure from his mother, the fights, self-defence, injuries, his mother training him in martial arts, her concern about studies at school and playing? The effect of his education, becoming British?
9. Chen and his life, the passing of time,-success. quiet, evading the difficulties, not talking with Lilli about the problems?. Lilli and her push?
10. The sister, her pregnancy, the question of adoption, the birth of the child, Chen and Lilli and their support, marrying? Getting the child back?
11. The world of the gangs, the suave bosses, the henchmen and their violence, tough, their talk, the physical attacks on the restaurants, the drug peddling, the lies and victimising people, the power struggles, the wounding of the henchman, getting him out of power? Chen being targeted as victim?
12. The confrontation, the dangers, the plans, Chen as victim, the lies? His disappearance and death? The money being sent to Lilli?
13. Lilli abandoned by Chen, receiving the money, hoping against hope? Her future with her son? Her sister?
14. The drama and the melodrama? How well combined? The episodic nature of the film? Strong characters? Credible situations?
