97 ga yau hei si (1997)

Director:

Alfred Cheung

Writer:

Bak-Ming Wong (writer)

Release Date:

6 February 1997 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A dependent man, that has one girlfriend too many, fakes his own mental illness to inherit the fortune of his two brothers...

Plot Keywords:

Human Relationship | Number In Title

Cast

Stephen Chow	...	Lo Kung
Bak-Ming Wong	...	Lo Leung
Francis Ng	...	Lo Fei
Roy Chiao	...	Mr. Lo
Christine Ng	...	Yinsu (as Wing Mei Ng)
Chien-lien Wu	...	Shenny (as Wu Chien-Lien)
Christy Chung	...	Little Shien
Gigi Lai	...	Gigi
Amanda Lee	...	Monalisa Kam
Simon Lui	...	Brother Smartie
Emil Chau	...	Long
Ho Kai Law	...	Mr. Ting
Koon-Lan Law	...	Mrs. Ting
Alfred Cheung	...	Mental Patient
Turbo Kong	...	Left Hand Man

Also Known As:

97 jia you xi shi (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)
All's Well, Ends Well 1997 (Hong Kong: English title)

Runtime:

USA:90 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

South Korea:15

Movie Connections:

Spoofs The Bridges of Madison County (1995)

sloppy new year's flick

a sore disappointment for anyone who vaguely enjoyed ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL '92. while that film had a seasoned comedy director Clifton ko (whose credits include some Hui brothers classics) and an eclectic repertoire for its up-and-coming all-star cast to sink their giddy teeth into, this '97 version is at best an excuse to see top performers of their generation sharing the screen and allowing product placement at the same time. at least it's unembarrassed and defiant, as the stars know they're making crap whose outtakes at the end are more interesting than the story they pretend to tell. what's more, Roy chiao, Francis ng (who actually bothers to create some sense of character), and Stephen chow have already cemented their reputation elsewhere.

chow in particular was stuck in a rut during '97-98, after coming down from dizzying creative heights of 1996 (FORBIDDEN CITY COPS; GOD OF COOKERY) & the various iconic classics in early 90s. his lackluster work here can be attributed to several things: rushed production (scenes that amount to dull rehearsals by competent pros, as long as nobody cracked up), half-baked contrivance in script (ng's complicated courtship that also pays lip-service to '97 handover), and in terms of chow's own career -- his youth-driven, alternately lovable and cocky-outrageous persona losing its freshness, obviously having pushed itself to the limit.

although still athletic as the self-centered layabout, chow finally started looking his age in '97. add to that landing roles which no longer fit or challenged him as in his initial heyday, it's no wonder he came off pedestrian in this actor-for-hire work. the amount of chow's close-ups only amplifies his empty performance. for those following chow's evolution, he is disturbingly mechanical here, stock expressions of boredom & constipated annoyance, unusually leaden diction, inflection and all. even his work for friends/cronies like LUCKY GUY '98 managed some lively spark.

curiously, he is literally a different performer in self-initiated projects like KING OF COMEDY '99 and thereafter, dazzling with comic genius seldom seen since the silent era. given chow's frequent acknowledgment and uniquely Chinese appropriation of Chaplin-esquire, this film actually boasts 2 proud references to buster Keaton: nonsequitur shots of chow walking a cow (GO WEST '25), & deadpan, mock-elegance in caveman furs on the family lawn (THREE AGES '23.)

as for the female roles in ALL'S WELL '97: without the diamonds-in-rough performers like Maggie cheung and Sandra ng, they're no more than wallflower stereotypes (pushover wife, christy Chung's ass-kicking hot babe.)