lost in beijing
China, 2007. Drama
Lin Dong (Tony Leung Ka-fai), a nouveau-riche entrepreneur from the southern province of Guangdong runs the Golden Basin Foot Massage Parlor. Among his staff of girls are Liu Pingguo (Fan Bingbing) and Xiaomei (Zeng Meihuizi), both from the same small northeastern town who've come to make it in the big city.
After the two girls get drunk, Pingguo ends up in Dong's apartment, where he clumsily forces himself on her. In a scene which, like several in the movie, marbles drama with light, absurdist comedy, Pingguo's husband, window-cleaner An Kun (Tong Dawei), sees them from his harness outside the building.
Later, Kun has rough sex with Pingguo to exorcise his anger; more comically, he also rips the hood ornament off Dong's beloved Mercedes-Benz in revenge. But it's money that turns out to be the common language between Kun and Dong as they settle their differences.
When Pingguo finds she's pregnant, all parties -- including Dong's barren wife, beauty-parlor owner Wang Mei (Elaine Jin) -- sign contracts. Dong, who's desperate for a child, will adopt the child, Kun and Pingguo will get substantial coin, and Mei will get 50% of her husband's assets if he ever fools around again.
When Pingguo gives birth to a daughter, Dong, convinced the child is his, turns into a devoted, gleeful parent. As emotional ties become blurred between the four, Pingguo finds she can't give up the child.
(variety)
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