This is an authentic Hong Kong cinema experience from maverick filmmaker Pang Ho Cheung set in the old port city of Aberdeen in Hong Kong’s southwest district. “Aberdeen” the movie is a story about an extended Hong Kong family tormented by secrets and insecurities with an all-star Hong Kong cast. The area of Aberdeen is also known indigenously as “Heung Gong Zai” or “Little Hong Kong” and this is also the movie’s Chinese title.
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Widowed grandpa Cheng Dong (Ng Man Tat) is a Taoist Priest who performs rituals at funerals to help the dead to reincarnate. However, he was a fisherman before until the government relocated all fishermen to live on land which he considers a curse. Hence, he becomes a Taoist instead, thereby hoping to seek peace spiritually. Nonetheless, he’s now happily living with Ta (Carrie Ng) who’s a much younger nightclub hostess. Cheng Dong’s son, Cheng Wai Tao (Louise Koo) is a successful professional tutor who lectures about motivation and believes that beauty can help one to succeed in life. Needless to say, he doesn’t approve of his father’s relationship and thinks it’s bad for his own image. Moreover, he’s worried about his daughter Chloe’s (Lee Man Kwai) future because according to him, she’s not pretty enough and he even calls her “Little Piggy”. Ageing actress-model Ceci Cheng (Gigi Leung) wife of Cheng and Chloe’s mother has her own problems too; as during interviews, producers are only willing to cast her if she agrees to sleep with their bosses.
Anyhow, Cheng has a sister, Cheng Wai Ching (Miriam Yeung), a museum tour guide who has to put up with tourists who think they’re more informed than her. On top of that, she has this strained belief that her dead mother hated her, while her doctor husband Yau (Eric Tsang) is having an affair with his young frisky nurse who’s always in the mood. Although this big Cheng family does meet up at times, it usually ends up with Cheng fighting with his father.
All the actors play their parts well which in turn helps the viewers to connect with the characters they portray even more. However, Gigi Cheng in particular is a standout; her performance as the model who suffers a career breakdown is both strong and shows emotion. That goes for Miriam Yeung too, especially during the dream sequence where she rides in a paper taxi driven by a paper driver to her old paper apartment to face her inner demons. Accordingly, it’s a common practice at the Chinese funerals to burn these paper effigies as offerings for the dead to use in their afterlife. Anyhow, she portrays her character’s pains well.
As the judgmental character of the family, Louis Koo engages at his role adequately. However, Chapman To has a meaty cameo as his best friend and the owner of a toy shop that has lots of “Star War” merchandise. Incidentally, Koo is a huge “Star Wars” memorabilia fan. Elsewhere, Pang regular Shawn Yue shows up briefly in a private business party where he tries to proposition Ceci. Eric Tsang, the cheating doctor husband is a delight as usual; in general, enough depth is given to the female characters here right down to little Chloe.
There is a fair amount of symbolism and delightful fantasy sequences through the movie which lift it into another level. Chloe’s dream of her Godzilla-like pet chameleon storming a miniature Hong Kong is one, there’s a scene that involves a beached whale and also the ride in paper taxi. However, the theme of reconciliation and reincarnation is always present.
Bathed in warm, soft colors, “Aberdeen” looks great visually thanks to the atmospheric cinematography of Jason Kwan which brings the city into life. Adding to the mix is the wonderful strings and a piano soundtrack by Peter Kam. Regardless of the much low-keyed approach from Pang, this is still a mature and compelling experience with enough memorable gentle moments though dreamlike at times.
