IFFR 2007 - My Mother Is A Belly Dancer
Movie: My Mother Is A Belly Dancer (Lee Kung Lok, Hong Kong , 2006 - 104 ‘ ) 
Date: Jan 29, 2007
Rating: 
(delivers what is promised)
Plot: A group of Hong Kong women (including a woman with a cheating husband and a wife who’s existence is being neglected by husband and child) try to give their lives a bit more spice by taking belly dancing lessons. With a housing estate as background we see the women overcome small-mindedness from family and neighbours.
Cast: Excellent performances allround, the likable people are very likable and the despicable ones get right up your nose. I especially liked the four daughters of one of the ladies: sugar-coated cuteness that doesn’t make you nauseous.
Visuals: Great inner city shots. Bleak concrete contrasted by strong primary colors. Quite a lot of great visual scenes, like the basketball field and rooftop scenes. It’s great to have that much eye candy without it being too disturbing to the plot.
Conclusion: The movie delivers what the title promises. It really is a feel-good movie with funny and sometimes witty lines. It never gets too gooey, never too sentimental, sometimes predictable but never insulting to the viewer. The ending was a bit disorientating for me, but who cares. A three minute cameo by Andy Lau is a nice surprise.
Most importantly: it is a fun movie.
June 20th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
great fun movie, loved it - reminded me a bit of The Full Monty