When talking to soldiers, even those who only served a limited time, the level of camaraderie, respect and collaboration are often aspects that are mentioned. Especially people from a working-class background or from troubled families describe the experience as life-changing, because even though there were tough times, the feeling of being supported by the other members of your unit is quite unique, and is sadly seldom repeated in the world of work. It is this feeling and the small gestures that accompany it which are at the foundation of Chan Kin-long crime drama “Hand Rolled Cigarette”, which premiered at the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival in 2020. Using a very noirish visual language, the feature tells a story about loyalty, between people and within society in general, while also delving deep into the criminal underworld of Hong Kong.
Hand Rolled Cigarette is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
Once a soldier in the British colonial army, Kwan Chiu (Gordon Lam) has been involved in many shady deals with the local triads, most recently Boss Tai (Ben Yuen). The former officer works as a middleman between the Hong Kong mobster and Taiwanese triad leader Pickle (To Yin-gor), where Kwan hopes to receive a generous bonus. However, by accident he also becomes involved in the dealing of small-time thief Mani (Bipin Karma), who has stolen drugs from Tai's men and, after being caught, hides in Kwan's apartment. As he confronts the thief, he offers him part of the profit he will make from selling the drugs, to which Kwan eventually agrees, realizing he might need some back-up in case his deal with Tai goes sour.
Indeed, Kwan's suspicions turn out to be true, because when Pickle delivers the wrong goods and is viciously beaten by Tai's men, the former officer is supposed to cover the debt. Meanwhile, he is also busy taking care of Mani and his little brother, who he fears might be in danger from Tai's men. As the two finally decide to sell the drugs in order to end their problems once and for all, the gangsters catch up to them, and it is up to Kwan whether he will stick with his newfound partner or if he should escape.
While the gesture may be a small detail within the narrative, the act of sharing a cigarette or indeed hand-rolling one from scratch for someone else is one of the most important images in the feature. Starting from the brief black-and-white flashback at the beginning of “Hand Rolled Cigarette”, the gesture is one demanding patience and calmness, while it is also a demonstration of care and friendship when the cigarette is shared or even given to someone else, especially in times of need. Images of sharing or standing up for somebody may be rare in the dark, gritty urban landscape Chan Kin-long has created in his movie, but show the fragments of humanity between people, which is truly interesting when it comes to portrayal of outsiders, such as Mani who is often simply referred to as “brownie” due to his skin color, and thus regarded as scum or a low-life.
However, the black-and-white world of this neo-noir, mostly defined by the dealings of the triads, poverty and crime, allows for rare occurrences during which a person's perspective changes. Chan Kin-long, who also write the script, shows a world lacking social cohesion and community, but also ways to bridge this gap through simple gestures. On the other hand, there is also the deep dark belly of the underworld, emphasized by the use of lighting and Rick Lau's impressive cinematography, which corrupts people such as Kwan, played by seasoned actor Gordon Lam as a man lost in this noirish maze and riddled by feelings of guilt and self-loathing.
In the end, “Hand Rolled Cigarette” is an impressive neo-noir crime drama. Chan Kin-long manages to direct a very human tale about camaraderie and loyalty, while also maintaining a sense of suspense and a very thoughtful visual approach to the urban setting of the feature.
