 |  |  | |
| I liked this movie, but I can't quite pin down why. The two lead characters are entirely unsympathetic, and the story often changes character focus at random. However, I found the scenic tour around Tokyo quite charming. I think it was the range and quality of the characterizations which really got me. The gravel-voiced Yasuaki Kurata is always a joy to watch, even in the small role of Ishikawa. And veteran actress Kyoko Kishida manages to be hilarous, pathetic and sympathetic in one brief appearance as the old geisha who is way past her use-by date. Despite their unlikeable characters, there is an attractive chemistry between Andy Lau and Cherie Chung, and between Lau and his two buddies. The pacing, like the story, is all over the place. It goes from leisurely character development to screaming domestic drama, back to pleasant scenery, then violent gang-fights and so on. But I found this worked very well. Overall : a little offbeat, and warmly recommended. |
| | LOG IN TO COMMENT ON THIS REVIEW! |
| |  | |  |
| | | | | Most of this story concerns a number of Chinese working and living in Tokyo. Ben Li is an aggressive meathead who is attracted to fights. Any fights. His sensitive pal, Chang Chih, asks every Chinese girl he meets about his runaway girlfriend. Another pal is about to marry the sister of a yakuza. In between picking fights, and getting involved in the fights of others, Ben becomes enchanted by Tieh-Lan, a bargirl mainlander who hates her local sponsor and is carrying on with another man, Asano. Ben pursues her, despite considerable obstacles, and eventually tries to help her flee the country. Tieh-Lan has to flee, because Asano, dying, hands her some evidence of double-dealing to be delivered to his old boss. | | LOG IN TO COMMENT ON THIS REVIEW! |
| | | | |
|
