Would You Like Some Pie?: Why So Similar?

Hollywood is stealing movie plots from Hong Kong!

Exhibit number1: "Labor Pains" (2009) starring Lindsay Lohan.

Exhibit number 2: "Dummy Mummy without a Baby" (2001) starring Miriam Yeung, Niki Chow, Edison Chen. See IMDB for English info. Trailer in Cantonese.

Even if you don't understand Cantonese, the English faux-disclaimer (00:05, in the style of anti-smoking warnings played before movies) says it all. Both movies are based on the premise that a female coworker at the whim of being fired fibs that she is pregnant to save her job. The movie shows how she gets into character and go through work and personal life with a growing lie.

There are scenes from the Labor Pains trailer that I recognize from Dummy Mummy movie itself. First, the uniform - main character in DM wears the same white dress shirt + black pants combo in the film. Secondly, the pregnancy creates a career bond. In DM, the lead works in an ad agency and bonds with a client; in LP, she gets promoted from a secretary to a maternal magazine. Thirdly, there is a poolside scene in DM, also shown in LP trailer (though DM's lead did not splash into the pool). Coincidence??? The difference is, Labor Pains has more crude humour as it is Hollywood's strength (see 00:52, 1:21). I'm not going to make direct relations, but there is a high correlation in plot between these films! Here's a link for more video results on Dummy Mummy - see if you recognize scenes from the Lindsay Lohan remake.

What do I make out of this?? Hong Kong is one awesome film hub which created the original Infernal Affairs trilogy that Departed was based on, that Stephen Chow, Jackie Chan, and Bruce Lee rose out of, and many more films to come! Hongers, be proud! World, stay tuned!!

Why So Similar?: Labor Pains VS Dummy Mummy

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