Despite Potty Humor, ‘CJ7’ Crosses Into Cliché to Reveal Alien Lassie

CHICAGO – Stephen Chow, who directed “Shaolin Soccer” and “Kung Fu Hustle,” brings us his latest eccentricity in the form of the kid-oriented film “CJ7”. Slapstick antics, sarcastic humor and excessively absurd characters are simply a few of Chow’s cinematic trademarks and “CJ7” is no exception to his design.

This sci-fi tale of whimsy takes place in Hong Kong with Ti (played by Stephen Chow) as the single father trying to properly raise his son, Dicky (played by Jiao Xu), on the wages of a construction worker.

The film begins by exploiting the poverty Dicky and Ti live in by showing Dicky’s worn-out shoes and dirty clothing. Dicky’s desire to assimilate to school fashions and to possess toys like his schoolmates is overwhelming and his father struggles throughout the film to fulfill his son’s needs.

“CJ7”. Photo credit: IMDb

“CJ7”. Photo credit: IMDb