Review by Lauren Thomas.

This film, by Australian director Sam Voutas, centres on a dimwitted and kind-hearted Chinese cab driver, Shunzi. Showing him losing his job, his wife and moving back in with his parents all in the same day, he attempts to gain a fortune by setting up a shop selling sex toys in Beijing and at first all is well. We think Shunzi (and his bimbo assistant that he picked up in a supermarket) are going to be saved from the vile grip of a businessman that is intent on breaking his legs if the shop doesn’t succeed. But alas no, it isn’t to be!

The local neighbourhood watchman busts the shop and finds they don’t have a permit to sell such outrageous products. Unless something extraordinary happens we can pretty much guess that something terrible will happen to this pair of entrepreneurs. I’m assuming that you can tell that something does indeed happen?!

Red Light Revolution could better be described as ‘slightly humorous’ as opposed to a comedy. It may be that the humour went completely over my head, it could be that the comedy is lost in translation. Or it could be that the film isn’t that funny in the first place.

I don’t mean to sound too harsh because this film is by no means a complete waste of time. The concept itself is very good and it draws on some important values like community spirit and camaraderie. The breakdown of a marriage and falling on hard times are both topics we can all relate to.

However the plot isn’t developed nearly enough and I was left wishing that they had spent a little more time really developing the characters and plotline. If they had, this film had potential. Unfortunately it falls at the first few hurdles.

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