Sometimes a person does not know that he or she is naïve. It takes someone else to evaluate it. Ah Ping, for instance, thinks she is a strong person, trying to resist John, his charm, his fascination over her, his seemingly innocent interest in her, his determination to make her his wife. She thinks by religiously keeping in touch with her mother and boyfriend over the phone, she is able to resist John and be the strong person she is.
Of course, the movie has done an excellent job in describing a "sweet talker". It made me realize again how dangerous the world is out there. Viewers are reminded how prostitution is sometimes by force and not choice. And when we say "force", it can mean a lot of things. It doesn't necessary have to mean having a knife on the throat kind of situation, but amazingly, a simple and innocent thing like "love" can also force people into vice. Truly love DOES conquers all.
Ah Ping's relationship with John is ironic. She finds herself in the awful situation which John himself had casually described to her, with regards to his pimp "cousin". He told her of his "cousin's" crude and sleek pimping modus operandi, and little did she realize that she was already in it. The viewer is left questioning whether Ah Ping realizes this that she is a victim.
Then there is Mei. Let us not hide the fact that children that young do fall in love. Their own definition of love, that is. The movie tells us to stop being in denial. It is sweet to know that Mei's mother is very open about this. But she still has her restrictions she ordered Mei to go to bed while they were watching TV together, when a "on the bed" scene appeared. Mei's love is even more pure, like a clean linen. But she is surprisingly careful. She hides behind a car when her mother rang the bell to the home of her "mystery man". She doesn't want to be blinded by love or is she afraid that he will not be what she imagined him to be? Mei is more matured than her age is.
After watching the movie, I am left with the thought of how Mei exist in every one of us women. Our views toward love are pure and complex at the same time. It is so amazing how easy other people, men especially, can take advantage of this, and we may not even realize this. Another point is how powerful the word "marriage" is to a woman. And how sometimes action speaks louder than words. This is reality. This is what life is.
Of course, the movie has done an excellent job in describing a "sweet talker". It made me realize again how dangerous the world is out there. Viewers are reminded how prostitution is sometimes by force and not choice. And when we say "force", it can mean a lot of things. It doesn't necessary have to mean having a knife on the throat kind of situation, but amazingly, a simple and innocent thing like "love" can also force people into vice. Truly love DOES conquers all.
Ah Ping's relationship with John is ironic. She finds herself in the awful situation which John himself had casually described to her, with regards to his pimp "cousin". He told her of his "cousin's" crude and sleek pimping modus operandi, and little did she realize that she was already in it. The viewer is left questioning whether Ah Ping realizes this that she is a victim.
Then there is Mei. Let us not hide the fact that children that young do fall in love. Their own definition of love, that is. The movie tells us to stop being in denial. It is sweet to know that Mei's mother is very open about this. But she still has her restrictions she ordered Mei to go to bed while they were watching TV together, when a "on the bed" scene appeared. Mei's love is even more pure, like a clean linen. But she is surprisingly careful. She hides behind a car when her mother rang the bell to the home of her "mystery man". She doesn't want to be blinded by love or is she afraid that he will not be what she imagined him to be? Mei is more matured than her age is.
After watching the movie, I am left with the thought of how Mei exist in every one of us women. Our views toward love are pure and complex at the same time. It is so amazing how easy other people, men especially, can take advantage of this, and we may not even realize this. Another point is how powerful the word "marriage" is to a woman. And how sometimes action speaks louder than words. This is reality. This is what life is.
