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| The Plot: Three brothers struggle with various girl friends. A comic book artist, Fang Chien-Sheng (Jackie Cheung Hok-Tau) pursues an athletic young woman, Ying-Ying (Fennie Yuen), as her martial arts champ mother (Lee Heung Kam) watches protectively. A TV chef, Fang Chien-Hui (the ubiquitous Raymond Wong Bak-Ming) mopes after a Cantonese Opera star (Petrina Fung Poo Poo) with a young son, Ming (the child actor, Huang Kun Hsuan, more annoying than usual). And Fang Chien-Lang, a promiscuous, effeminate actor (Chow Yun Fat) tries to appease his fiancée, Do Do Hung (Carol Do Do Cheng) as he pursues a last conquest, a slutty store clerk who calls herself "Beautiful" (Cherie Chung).
Why Would I Like This Movie? Well, as I said, this was a wildly popular example of HK-style sexual comedy. My favourite scenes involved Chow Yun Fat making fun of his own reputation (as when Mark Gor makes an appearance in the audience of a Cantonese Opera), and vamping outrageously to various women, in a wide variety of hilarious & stylish outfits. I especially love the scene where he's dancing around the living room air-conducting with a tuxedo top and red-polka dotted boxers.
Why Wouldn't I Like This Movie? The sexual politics are alarming, and there is also one annoying instance of racism vs. Indians (Ms. Wu's errant husband is a failed musician who goes off to India because "they're the only ones willing to listen to this music"). IMHO The Eight Happiness is only for fans of the genre. |
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Resulting from a breakdown of the telephone system, three brothers respectively find their new loves on the wrong telephone lines. Fai, the eldest, a TV program host, falls in love with a charming divorced woman. Long, the younger, is a good-looking playboy. Although he has a steady lover, another gorgeous creature attracts him. Sung, the youngest, is a timid youngster. He knows nothing about romance until a pretty girl comes into his life. HK comedy doesn't usually come across well to Western viewers. Note that Jackie Cheung is in this movie. We know a lot of you like this guy. Unless you understand the humor, you may want to pass this one up. Please consider our "American" bias which influenced the below rating.
HKFlix Rating: 6/10: (Arthouse Rating: 3/5. Entertainment Value: 3/5.) | | LOG IN TO COMMENT ON THIS REVIEW! |
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