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打工皇帝 (1985)
Working Class


Reviewed by: Brian Thibodeau
Date: 06/10/2007
Summary: Working FAST...

The title says it all in this lightning-paced blue collar comedy with a social-realist message, as baker Sam Hui and tow truck operators Tsui Hark and Teddy Robin Kwan lose their jobs due to unchecked rivalry, and find new ones working at a ramen noodle factory where the millionaire owner is absent, the middle management is embroiled in all manner of greedy schemes, and the owner's pretty daughter (Joey Wong) naively tries to hide her status from a romantically inclined Hui. Not for nothing does Hui's theme song "Chase The Sun" bear eerie resemblance to Donna Summer's "She Works Hard For The Money." As in most films of this kind, proletarian spirit trumps capitalist greed, but since this IS set in capitalist Hong Kong, the uprising ultimately pays dividends while the top seat remains filled. Performances are typically outsized (as are most of Teddy Robin Kwan's ridiculous sunglasses and the bottle of baby oil used to keep an often-shirtless Hui out-glistening his dry-looking castmates), and rightfully so as director Tsui works the narrative at a boisterous clip.

Reviewer Score: 8

Reviewed by: dandan
Date: 05/17/2006
Summary: fun with noodles...

a tsui hark comedy about three friends (tsui, sam hui and robin kwan) who end up in a dead end job at a noodle factory. corruption is rife and the management decides that tsui, hui and kwan are going to take the fall for some big blunders that have been made; unfortunately our heroes are just too quick witted for them...

this is a really fun slice of slapstick; sam hui is on form, the vertically challenged robin kwan is a revelation and tsui hark makes me wonder why he doesn't spend more time in front of the camera. ng man-tat pops up as the factory foreman and joey wong plays the daughter of the company chairman and hui's love interest.

good stuff.


Reviewed by: MrBooth
Date: 05/27/2001
Summary: Old but good

WORKING CLASS: Old Tsui Hark comedy starring Samuel Hui and Tsui Hark himself. All pretty goofy stuff, but a very well crafted film. Characters are rounded, script is good and direction is top notch. Most enjoyable. Besides the comedy, he also works a little bit of politics into the film, the basic working class on the shop floor vs. corrupt management being a non-too subtle statement, but he doesn't try to rub your face in it. The best thing is getting to see Tsui on screen... he is such a cool guy, oozes charisma & intelligence and looks great. And he's funny too. He should act more.