While
this Tony Leung Chiu-wai movie has its good points – stylish cinematography,
some strong performances – I’d say it makes a fairly weak showing overall. The plot is heavy on melodrama and sketchy
with details, and at an only hour-and-a-half, it still drags for me in
places. A lot of the people in front of
and behind the camera are doing solid work, but the screenplay just doesn’t do
them any favors.
Lap’s
father, a former gangster, is strong-armed into coming back for one last job. When it inevitably goes south, he’s snatched
before he’s able to flee Hong Kong with Lap and her boyfriend Rick. Lap appeals to the local godfather for help
and she’s given it – provided she agrees to become “his woman.” Heart breaking, she urges Rick to get out
while he can, telling him she’ll follow but knowing she can’t. As she gets more deeply ensnared in Godfather
Shen’s world, she continues to love Rick and wonders if second chances in love
are ever possible.
The
film is an interesting mix of a gritty gangster drama and a huge, sweeping
romance (seriously – I got semi-Casablanca
vibes at times.) I like that it can be
both things so completely, but unfortunately, I don’t think it really succeeds
at either. On both sides, the Drama!!!
feels overblown and more than a little cheesy.
In addition, there’s a long mid-film time jump that I think does it a
disservice. I’m still not entirely clear
on what being Godfather Shen’s “woman” means – is Lap his “girlfriend?” His prostitute? Arm candy? Does he “offer” her to his shady business
partners in thanks? Exactly how revulsive
is Lap’s situation here? I think it
would’ve been more interesting to show what this was like for Lap.
Tony
Leung Chiu-wai plays Cheung, a gangster in Godfather Shen’s employ who looks
out for Lap and tries to keep her safe.
He winds up playing a larger and more interesting part than I
anticipated when Cheung is first introduced, but I have a hard time getting a
read on him. His character is also hurt
by the time jump, because we never see him meeting Lap and becoming close to
her. Also, I’m really at a loss as to
why he’s a gangster in the first place.
Cheung is kind, sort of puppyish, a bit spineless (to begin with,) and,
considering his job, seems almost comically naïve at times. I get that the film wants an ally for Lap in
the crime underworld, but Cheung just seems so out-of-place in that setting
that I’m not sure how he got there. That
said, Leung does a surprisingly-nice job with this confusing and rather
thinly-drawn character. He plays the
role with charm and heart; I like the moments of breathing space between all
the high drama, when he’s amusingly personable and down-to-earth despite all
the craziness going on.
Recommend?
In
General
– Not really. Mediocre at best, I’d say.
Tony
Leung Chiu-wai
– Eh, maybe? I initially thought this
was going to be a pretty small, forgettable part, but by the end, Cheung has
surprised me a bit, and Leung gives it his all.
Warnings
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