| Let's consider the positives first. The opening and concluding scenes are dynamically staged, filmed, and edited, with extremely effective music. The script doesn't give too much away too soon, drawing the audience into the puzzle of Rock's mind. The performances are consistently engaging. The setting and landscapes (evidently in Macau) are pleasant. The negatives are that two major plot points are hard to believe. One is that Moon turns out to be Blackie's long-lost daughter. The other is that Rock doesn't recognize Ann when she shows up as a patient at his "clinic." The audience realizes it -- it's Ann with some grey streaks in her hair and minor crow's feet at her eyes. So, unnecessarily, Ann becomes a red herring. The audience is left to decide: Well, if Rock doesn't recognize her, maybe it's not really Ann? Maybe it really is some 'granny' with a resemblance to Ann? It's puzzling, and the intentions of the filmmakers are not clear. Thus, the middle third of the film remains a bit muddled, until the rousing conclusion brings it to a satisfying conclusion. The cinematography was by Davy Tsou Lin Yau, the excellent editing by Leung Kwok Wing, and the enjoyable (though sometimes too chirpy) musical score by Tang Hin Fai and Alen Wong.
Television actor Stephen Ma gives a fine, fully nuanced performance as Rock. Yoyo Mung is the love of his life, Ann, and has some very gentle and kind moments. Jerry Lamb plays Sik, described as a monk in the DVD packaging, but acting more like a psychic. Also in the cast are Ko Shou Liang, Pan Ya Kan, Liu Kat Lin, and Shaw Chun Yung. Lam Suet has a cameo as the pimp for underaged girls. |
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