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Home / Reviews / Drama / Moment of Romance, A A Moment of Romance (1990) I can tell you right away, that A Moment of Romance is one of my favourite Andy Lau-films. It starts off as a typical youngster film, but evolves into a great love story combined with the life as a triad member. Sounds similar to other films at a first look, however this is a really special type of doing such a film.
Andy Lau plays Wah Dee, a triad member of the lower class. He has grown up without parents in the streets of Hong Kong. Because he is very skilled at driving his motor cycle and vehicles in general, triad leader Trumpet (Tommy Wong) requests his skills for his next coup. While he and his gangsters enter a jewelry store, Wah Dee waits for them outside the store in a car, in order to help them get away as soon as they have finished the robbing. Things go wrong however. They manage to escape, but only with the help of a hostage (Wu Chien-lien) Wah Dee took. Being afraid that Jo Jo, the hostage, might give away something about them to the police, Trumpet decides to kill her. Wah Dee prevents him from doing so however and therefore he is seperated from the gang. He feels obliged to protect her and during that process they fall in love for each other. 17-years-old Jo Jo is the daughter of a rich married couple who plan to send her to Canada in order to study abroad. When she is drawn to the lawless life of Wah Dee however, her world completely changes. The same applies to Wah Dee who discovers something unfimiliar to him in her which is innocence. Now being hunted by the cops and by the gangsters, one of his only few friends that remains is Rambo (Ng Man Tat), a man who washes cars in the street for a living. Having his own street for over 10 years, he is satisfied with his life until Trumpet's men want to take that street over which would imply him loosing his "job". Wah Dee cannot stand it any longer and his hate for Trumpet grows stronger with every second. Things start taking dramatic twists.
Acting-wise, only Ng Man Tat was awarded for
his supporting role at the 10th Annual Hong Kong Film Awards. Although
Jackie Cheung really deserved the 'best actor'-award for his role in
Days of Being Wild, I would have liked to see Andy Lau getting it. To
me it stands one of his best performances ever. I have not seen all of the
over 100 films Andy Lau appeared in, however while watching A Moment of
Romance, his acting outclassed every other performance I have seen of
him recently which means a lot as he INDEED IS a great actor.
Benny Chan (director of Jackie Chan's "Who Am I?" and the recent "Heroic Duo") has created a wonderful film with A Moment of Romance. It combines some of the best acting I have seen, with one of the greatest soundtracks in a Hong Kong-film as well. Don't let me over-hype this film for you. The interesting storyline of the film might appear a bit ordinary when reading it. Its realisation however was masterfully done in a way that you can identify with Andy Lau's character Wah Dee. You will understand his inner conflict, why he has to do the things he does. You will feel pity for Jo Jo as she is the poor soul that could have lived a normal life in Canada, but gets involved with Wah Dee and does not even regret it. What a powerful situation to tell on film! A Moment of Romance is not a light-hearted film. While watching you wish that things could get brighter for the main characters in it, especially for the doomed love between Wah Dee and Jo Jo. It had a big emotional impact on me and if you are into tragedies or dramatic films, you should not miss this film. There is some graphic violence in this film, however, it just adds to the mentioned impact the film will have on you. Get it!
Written on June 11th 2004 |
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Copyright © 2005 FULLTIME REVIEWS - Hussain Abdullah |
