Directed by Pang Ho-cheung
Smoking/No smoking comedy, 103′
‘Love in a Puff’ (Chi ming yu chun giu – original title), is a 2010 Hong Kong film. The romantic comedy is directed and written by Pang Ho-Cheung. He is a producer, director, actor, novelist and writer. His influence – the movie being directed by a man, can easily be recognised throughout both ‘Love in a Puff’ and the second part ‘Love in the Buff’. The plotline is somehow based on a true story, because Pang was inspired by his friends’ experiences.
The main actors are Miriam Yeung, as Cherie – a cosmetic sales girl, and Shawn Yue, as Jimmy – an advertising executive. The movie also stars Cheung Tat Ming as Joseph, a hotel porter, Miao Felin as a restaurant waitress, Chui Tien-you as a 7-Eleven cashier, Charmaine Fong as Patty, an advertising executive, Roy Szeto as Jimmy‘s colleague, an advertising executive and Patty‘s boyfriend and Sharon Luk as Vivian, Jimmy‘s ex-girlfriend, an advertising executive.
‘Love in a Puff’ reveals the love story of Cherie and Jimmy, two smokers. They have their second meeting near an outdoor smoking area. A place like this may sound weird, but this is due to the fact that Hong Kong government banned smoking in all indoor areas in 2007.
Smoking is the reason why people meet and get to know each other better, the reason why many people start smoking – just for communication, discuss about random things and also for gossip.
Even if Cherie suffers from asthma, she continues smoking just to be with Jimmy. It’s more like an excuse for her to keep talking with him and going out together. Their story evolves pretty quickly, forming a couple in just one week.
In an era of technology, they communicate via text messages, they send SMS to each other and following couple of days, she broke up with her boyfriend. Meeting Jimmy was a wake-up call to realise that after six years of relationship, all emotions have vanished.
Although the cigarettes’ price increases, they still don’t want to give up on smoking and this can be the main reason why their relationship becomes so strong and compact.
Cherie is four years older than Jimmy, she’s mature and he’s the opposite. After all her previous experiences, she’s tired of losing time, of guessing games. “I’m simple and straightforward” – her motto, can symbolise the fact that sometimes people should do exactly what they feel in a very moment, because life’s too short to keep thinking only about the consequences of our actions, how simple things can mean so much, because it’s a true matter that in everyday’s lives small details make the difference. ‘Love in a Puff’ it’s not about love at its purest sense and significance, but love in a friendship, or a relationship based more on respect. China Daily placed the film on their list of the best ten Chinese films of 2010.
Review by Alina Deca
