-2008-2008 — Cj7

| Actor | Role | Trivia | |-------|------|--------| | | Ti (Father) | Chow initially planned to play Dicky but switched to the father role after de-aging tests failed. | | Xu Jiao | Dicky Chow | Xu Jiao was 9 years old and had never acted before. Chow chose her from 3,000 children in Ningbo. She later became a celebrated actress ( The Mermaid , League of Gods ). | | CJ7 (Voice) | The Alien | Voiced by Chow himself using sped-up gibberish, similar to Gollum’s vocal processing. | | Lin Zi-cong | Bully (Johnny) | Lin’s father was a construction worker on the film’s set. Chow cast him on the spot. |

A: Stephen Chow has said CJ7 is “neither. It is a feeling.”

However, like any vehicle, the 2008 CJ7 was not without its challenges. Some critics pointed out areas for improvement, such as fuel efficiency and certain aspects of its interior design. Nonetheless, the overall reception of the CJ7 was positive, with many considering it a worthy contender in its class. CJ7 -2008-2008

The film opens on a shantytown construction site. is a widowed, illiterate laborer who struggles to send his young son, Dicky Chow (Xu Jiao) , to an elite private school. Father and son live in a ramshackle hut, eating leftover vegetables and arguing over a broken fan. Dicky is bullied by rich classmates for wearing tattered uniforms and fake-brand sneakers.

The film pivots violently. After a storm, Ti is killed in a workplace accident. At his funeral, Dicky refuses to weep, convinced CJ7 can revive him. The alien, understanding the boy’s grief, sacrifices its life force. Ti returns from the dead—but CJ7 shrivels into a motionless doll. | Actor | Role | Trivia | |-------|------|--------|

Released in 2008, CJ7 (original Chinese title: Cheung Gong 7 hou , literally “Yangtze River No. 7”) marks a significant departure in the filmography of Hong Kong actor-director Stephen Chow. Following the international success of the wuxia parody Kung Fu Hustle (2004), Chow opted not to produce a direct sequel but instead created a science-fiction family drama. Blending elements of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, slapstick comedy, and working-class tragedy, CJ7 represents Chow’s deliberate shift from adult-oriented action-comedy to a more sentimental, morally instructive genre aimed at a cross-generational audience.

A: CJ7 was Chow’s last lead acting role. He has since directed only ( The Mermaid , Journey to the West ) but appears in cameos. She later became a celebrated actress ( The

The film interrogates the nature of value. Dicky covets expensive “mechanical toys” (a clear nod to Transformers and Tamagotchi ), yet CJ7, a seemingly useless creature, provides the greatest gift: sacrificial love. The alien’s final form—a cheap, hand-sewn doll—suggests that authenticity and handmade care outweigh mass-produced luxury.