| Overview: | A plain-looking young woman (Wing) is obsessed with superstar singer Rose and Rose's star-maker producer/fiancee Sam. Wing watches them on TV, collects their CDs and photos, and lives somewhat vicariously through them. From her naive outsider perspective, they are the perfect couple--they epitomize everything sincere and magical in the world. She idolizes Rose for her beauty and singing talent; and she fantasizes that Sam is the perfect man and a brilliant musical artist.
When word gets out that Sam is looking to sign and develop a new singing talent--someone "simple" and "ordinary"--Wing is instantly drawn to the tryouts. But there's a catch: Sam is looking for a young man. Determined to somehow get closer to her idols, Wing dresses up as a man to win the coveted recording contract with Sam. She is ably transformed into a "man" with the help of her male friend, played by Jordan Chan (whose brilliant contribution to this film--despite the small, supporting nature of his role--speaks volumes about his formidable acting abilities).
But after Wing moves in with the superstar couple, things take a turn for the worse. She sees that her idols' relationship is far from perfect. Rose feels neglected and unwanted, and Sam is beginning to question his own sexuality and adequecy as Rose's partner. Rose often fools around in order to get Sam's attention. But when Rose makes sexual advances towards Wing (thinking Wing is a man) Wing is forced to lie that she is gay to keep Rose at bay and protect her secret feminine identity.
After overhearing Wing's admission that she is a gay man, Sam is further confused when he begins to develop feelings for Wing, and his relationship with Rose further deteriorates. Wing, all the while, is racked with guilt, believing that she tore apart the "perfect couple".
It all sounds pretty complicated and bizarre, we know, but this film is in fact very slowly paced and its characters surprisingly introspective. Subsequently, what could very easily have become a very slapsticky "comedy of errors" type film maintains its integrity throughout. The end result is a beautiful portrait of several truly 3-dimensional people, the questions they are forced to ask themselves, the social mores that influence them, and the disillusionment they are forced to cope with. The song, "That's Amore" acts as the film's theme, playing several times throughout the picture. Yet the implication is more along the lines of "That's A More" than "That's Amore".
A melodramatic, lighthearted, and yet highly compelling piece of filmmaking, this one gets the HKFlix seal of approval.
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