Chedeng and Apple

What a wonderful surprise this movie was! I went into Chedeng and Apple in a bad mood but with an open heart. This film is a comedy with a pretty dark premise. So I entered the film expecting to see some unfunny and likely, disrespectful art. And I was so gloriously, wonderfully wrong. Chedeng and Apple is dark, it’s funny and it also has a truly beautiful amount of heart to it.

Chedeng and Apple are two long-time friends in their 60’s. Both of them lose their husbands early on in the film. Chedeng’s husband dies after a lengthy illness. Apple takes the more direct approach. She kills her abusive husband. Without husbands and with Apple now a criminal, they flee their homes with the head of Apple’s husband in a designer bag. Their destination? Wherever Chedeng’s girlhood first love, Lydia is. Driven mainly by Apple’s enthusiastic allyship, the friends evade the law and try and reconnect with Chedeng’s ex-girlfriend.

One of the things that delighted me about Chedeng and Apple is how positive the entire film is about Chedeng’s lesbianism. There’s almost no homophobia in this comedy film. Instead, Apple’s most positive characteristic is that despite her selfishness, she’s extremely passionate about finding her friend’s ex. There’s also a scene where Chedeng’s adult children discuss the revelation that their mom’s a lesbian. This scene is both funny and a rapid-fire dismissal of several outdated gay stereotypes. There’s also a scene in which Chedeng goes on a radio programme to try and locate Lydia. The DJ is surprised and perhaps, confused that she’s looking for a woman but quickly rallies himself and offers Chedeng the mic. What follows is a genuinely heartfelt and sweet moment of Chedeng expressing her love and longing for this other woman.

But don’t think the film is toothless either. I mean, one of the main characters in this comedy decapitates her abusive husband. I’m surprised at how well the comedy works in the film. I often do encounter a barrier which comedy films with subtitles. Both cultural differences and the fact that I have to read most jokes often limit my enjoyment. But I didn’t have that problem with Chedeng and Apple. Many of the jokes here are fairly well-worn or predictable. But they hit nonetheless. Chedeng and Apple found some good universal comedy. Such universal themes include: elements of aging, having an annoying best friend, poisoning cops, or the constant presence of a severed penis in an evidence bag.

What really helps some of these more common jokes is the timing and camerawork in Chedeng and Apple. If you can’t do something new, do an exceptional, texbook version of something already established. This film has a real knack for the camera pulling out to reveal something. There’s also surprisingly good shot framing for a comedy. I don’t think of comedy as being a genre that usually has standout camerawork. Chedeng and Apple does. Beyond that, there’s a real passion for literally framing shots through a window or on a TV screen. There’s both passion and talent to this element of filmmaking as there is to pretty much everything in Chedeng and Apple.

I wholeheartedly recommend Chedeng and Apple. It’s a genuinely sweet ode to female friendship, especially as you age. It’s also gay-friendly yet funny and often risky in its humour. And it looks good too! This was a welcome surprise and relief for me, following a spat of mediocre WLW indie dramas. The way Chedeng and Apple manages to balance almost contradictory moods and themes is a borderline miracle. And moreover, it’s just a genuinely funny comedy.

Overall rating: 7.6/10

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