We don’t need to attend business school to know that one of the most important factors for a successful venture is location. Even if you have the best products in town, your business will probably meet a very fast and natural demise if it isn’t in a strategic location.

Apparently, nobody told Michael (Wu) that. The young man is a hardworking chef/restaurateur who is puzzled when his fine dining restaurant, which serves top quality French cuisine, does not do well. The reason? It’s located right smack in the middle of Chinatown!

TAKING COVER...'Wait a minute, why hide when we're not in that undercover cop flick anymore?'

The charming but rather clueless (in the business-savvy sense) bloke, who is on the verge of closing the joint, decides to drown his sorrows and gets a lucky break when he meets “beer girl” Siu Min (Yeung).

Tired of promoting and hawking beer, Siu Min is intent on setting up her own eatery. So they cut a deal, becoming business partners and housemates – because Michael is dead broke – and eventually, romance blossoms.

One of the good things about this romantic comedy is that the humour isn’t forced or overdone. Amusing stuff comes from the leads as well as the supporting cast.

Yeung and Wu have played onscreen lovers before and they are both as charming as they were in the Love Undercover movies. In this film, Yeung is sweet and funny while Wu deftly handles the role of an earnest young man who’s just trying to earn his keep.

SEEING GREEN...The girls meet their prettier and sexier rivals.

The central characters have very different perspectives on life. Siu Min, like most girls hitting 30, is ready and willing to settle down. But after many years of cleaning up after inebriated patrons, she is weary of hearing empty promises of marriage and love from drunk men.

On the other hand, Michael is the typical footloose and fancy-free bohemian who goes anywhere his finances take him. Being in a relationship is OK as long as it doesn’t tie him down.

So it is a rather curious move when Michael takes up a job offer that will seemingly provide him with a stable career. And here we are, thinking that he isn’t into something so permanent.

Although this inconsistency of the character is not explained, it does wonders for the romance, which is probably what the filmmakers wanted. Nonetheless, Michael could have been fleshed out more, at least to show the reason behind his change of mind.

Speaking of inconsistencies, Siu Min is lauded as a woman who is immune to the effects of alcohol but in one sequence, we see her succumbing to it in a rather comical way. One moment she’s sober and the next, she’s lolling about and revealing her secrets.

Flaws aside, Drink Drank Drunk is still a welcome change – a film that doesn’t rely on histrionics or over-the-top slapstick for kicks and instead brings across simple everyday occurrences in an amusing and real way.

YAM SENG!...Happy hour, happy people.

The supporting cast also gives the film a boost, especially Alex Fong’s Ninth Brother, a tai ko who is sweet on Siu Min. Fong puts in a hilarious turn as a tough gangster leader who has a soft spot for the girl.

Helmer Derek Yee, who bagged this year’s HK Film Award for Best Director and Best Screenplay (One Night in Mongkok), gives us a romantic comedy that goes down pretty smoothly.

Even though the screenplay, which Yee co-wrote, could have been better Drink Drank Drunk is one of the more enjoyable romantic comedies from Hong Kong. It doesn’t try to be too clever or pretentious but offers a simple and straightforward love story.

And so, there’s still hope for the genre, which let’s face it, has taken the most abuse from the HK film industry.

Now, that’s something we can all drink to. Bottoms up!