WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
There exists, what many say, the reckless impulsiveness of youth. Perhaps more often directed towards the teenage demographic, it is made to seem like rash decision making, getting into trouble, and overtly casual attitudes towards anything and everything is just “the way it is” and therefore summarily dismissed by the greater masses. However, is there no genuine consideration given to what circumstances might be driving it all? Found within the tumult of Hong Kong is a young girl named Lil’ Tiger (Rachel Leung), enjoying a meal with her parents (Chole Wong & Tang Yu Chui) post stint in juvenile detention before they go their separate ways for the day. Once goodbyes are shared, Lil’ Tiger aims to connect with her friend Ming (Venus Cheung) to plan the upcoming evening’s activities involving Ming’s little sister, Wing (Kathleen Poon).
But, after this has been accomplished, Lil’ Tiger makes her way to her boyfriend’s (Josiah Cheng) apartment, only to be confronted with the demons and paranoias he’s immersed in despite previous promises to leave it all behind. Scared and angered, Lil’ Tiger’s day only gets more hectic when a frantic phone call from Ming sends her to the roof of a local residential building and a confrontation with a group of other girls harassing Wing. Standing strong and diffusing the situation as best possible, Lil’ Tiger, Ming, and Wing spend the time together, laughing and contemplating the days’ events along with factors influencing their lives, wondering what tomorrow might bring.
Next, my Mind:
There’s a triumphant yet bittersweet sentimentality present along with the straightforward, sometimes ugly realities of being a teenager from a grassroots upbringing amidst the backdrop of contemporary Hong Kong being explored through this 15-minute short film offering from director Nicola Fan. Based on real life interviews and related true accounts, the effort paints the vivid tapestry of a day in the life of one 18-year old girl fresh out of juvenile detention who’s looking to begin again, having paid the price for an unknown action or series of actions that put her there. What makes this an interesting character study is how the film chooses to represent so many specific facets of her life that showcase both hints about her checkered past and not-so-smart choices paired with the ambiguous but ideally hope-filled thoughts on a better future free from the evident hardships faced by those most likely considered “average or lower class” in a highly controlled, heavily structured society. It’s about the love of family, the loyalty of friendship, and the fortitude to stand up for oneself and others while overcoming the odds and still being free to simply BE a teenager.
It is also quite sobering, though, when seeing examples of paths taken by some of the youth that are most certainly less than savory–gangs, drugs, prostitution–garnering consequences that could so drastically affect the still fragile mentality of a young person much less bring harm to them, both physically and mentally, endangering any actual future they may have. This, subsequently, speaks to the true and serious need of those willing to step up and aid teens caught up in these adverse situations in order to provide them that chance to conquer their vices and find that more clear road to success as they head into adulthood. Additionally, it should be even more imperative given how the film likewise showcases the temptations these teens face to return to the lifestyle that was taking them down, though opting for the right alternatives is shown here as well, giving the viewer a finale that is ultimately filled with a sense of relief that these kids will find their way to sunnier days if they own their mistakes, truly grow from the experiences, and allow their desire to be better propel them forward, like Lil’ Tiger, Ming, and Wing are aiming to achieve here.
Leung brings fully realistic characterization and impassioned, emotional poise to her role a Lil’ Tiger, a young woman making a new attempt to regain lost time and seek out a better, more settled life after having been away at juvenile detention. Enjoying the beauty of being back spending time with her parents and then reconnecting with her best friend, Lil’ Tiger’s newly earned freedom isn’t all wine and roses, having to forcibly face a boyfriend she sadly finds she can no longer trust and a harsh situation where what we can only surmise is her “former self” threatens to come raging to life. Yet, she finds the means to cope with each instance in a way that demonstrates her choosing to better herself instead of giving in to base attitudes and related actions that most likely got her incarcerated in the first place, therefore ultimately enjoying not only helping out Ming’s wayward younger sister Wing, but relishing time with them both afterwards that, even if primarily by conjecture, very much assures us there’s at least less egregious decisions that will be made, even if a little playful rebelliousness might still be present. It’s grounded, affecting actuality, and Leung truly embodies the character to the fullest through her performance that is both tender and fiery.
Cheung also conveys a sense of well-balanced realism in her role as Ming, Lil’ Tiger’s best friend and supporter who clearly has to work extremely hard at a thankless job in order to support herself and her little sister Wing. But, we can tell she has a total dedication to doing the best she can for the now, and her love for both Wing and Lil’ Tiger is evident and unwavering, the value of having them both in her life more than evident. Poon is almost heartbreakingly vulnerable yet equally spunky overall in her role as Wing, Ming’s younger sister, who’s gotten into some bad business out of sheer desperation to have a source of income, sacrificing any initial credibility or decency in the eyes of other girls, yet not willing to stay quiet in the face of their jeers and harassment, even to the point of getting physically assaulted by a group of peers. Cheng imbues his role as Lil’ Tiger’s boyfriend with a jolt of disturbing angst via his exaggerated suspicions of her then stirring sadness when we see how much his existence has been shattered by the gang life and associated drug-fueled highs and lows he’s endured, even after promising Lil’ Tiger he’d get clean.
Additional supporting turns arrive via Wong and Chui as Lil’ Tigers loving parents whom we can tell are grateful beyond words for her release and new possibilities in life, though still acting like parents do when it comes to pointing out manners, Edith Yuen as the store manager where Ming works and with whom she converses with briefly on a smoke break, and Mak Sze Ching, Kimmy Lam, Ng Sze Ming, and Fok Tze Kwan as the girl gang that accosts Wing. In total, “Lil’ Tiger” is a necessary piece of indie film art that beautifully yet pointedly and with serious intent displays the plights of teens in modern Hong Kong, which I would hope initiates further thought and awareness of the need for more ways to reach them and provide whatever support is necessary to nurture their hopes and direct them to new and fulfilling paths, as there is such resounding truth when it is said “our children are the future.”
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
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