Hi, Dharma!

Five bloodied gangsters, needing to lie low after a disastrous clash with a rival gang, hide out in a remote temple in the mountains. The resident Buddhist monks greet them with horror and treat them with contempt, but the wise, elderly head monk lets them stay. By the time the gangsters' treacherous boss shows up, the two factions have learnt a grudging mutual respect. This culture-clash comedy (which echoes both Performance and Suo's Fancy Dance without really resembling either) trades in shameless stereotypes, but the gradual exposure of the underlying similarities between the monks and the hoods is witty and well managed. The casting also helps offset the general predictability of the plotting, and the first-time director's respect for the characters make the closing scenes surprisingly touching.