If you are going to smoke, I have to be here. Ok, grandpa? -Liu Bo
*More Chinese movies should be showcased in American first run cinemas.
A tale of two halves.
Act 1: A delightful Chinese bank caper with goofy/sad protagonists and evil mask wearing robbers. I, knowing nothing about the peculiarities of Chongqing caves, Chinese middle schools, or hot pot, was refreshingly out of my element. But, the filmmakers, translators, and actors do a wonderful job suspending any need for inherited cultural associations or assets. I thought of the first half as Chinese Trailer Park Boys attempting Oceans 11.
Act 2: Despite an impressive act 1, act 2 looses all direction and disregards consequences, reality, and the audience to conclude with a visceral and almost too real fight scene down the streets of Chongqing. Hot Pot ends as if they were making Jason Bourne, because they could. It was too brutal and negated most of my previous affection. *Side note, it was super unclear as to what were the motivations of the masked bank robbers. What I originally thought of as a mysterious background to be revealed later turn out to just be mindless young male violence -like from a bad manga with a bully.
On the whole, Chongqing Hot Pot is acceptable. I am not likely to (want to) watch it again.
On a scale of jumbalaya to stone soup, I give Chongqing Hot Pot 2.1 out of 5 stars.
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