CJ7

CJ7 is a squishy alien with rubber legs and a furry head that crash-lands ‘ET’ fashion into the life of Dicky (Jiao Xu), a Hong Kong boy. Dicky’s father, single parent Ti (Stephen Chow) struggles on a construction worker’s wage to have him educated at a private school. Life’s tough – but Ti instils in Dicky a set of social mores to which he expects him to adhere. When CJ7 arrives, Dicky’s education suffers. It takes a personal tragedy for the kid to tow the line.

Chow’s film is a charming, funny illustration of family life that explores the notion of being given a second chance. Xu, a girl playing a boy, is an expressive performer beyond her years. But CJ7 steals the show with its range of expressions; the scenes where it’s subjected to comic violence are especially funny. A kids’ comedy with a heart.