DOUBLES CAUSES TROUBLE is a typically silly and overbearing Hong Kong comedy from director Wong Jing, who as usual has a small supporting role. It's basically a vehicle for actresses Maggie Cheung and Carol 'Do Do' Cheung to team up as a pair of bickering cousins who are forced to share an apartment to get a slice of a will. Unfortunately for them, a room is sub-let to a gangster and trouble literally turns up on their doorstep before long. Filled with slapstick gags, surreal humour and a typically low-brow approach, DOUBLES CAUSES TROUBLE is a film for Hong Kong fans alone as I'm not too sure how well the humour translates to foreign viewers. It's certainly fast-paced and gag-packed, but is it very funny? My answer is, not particularly.
5 Reviews
Remake of the "Charade"
actiontdolbin26 August 2018
This movie is remake of 1963 "Charade"
But I don't think they paid. So maybe it's more like rip-off. Actually first half of this movie doesn't connect with the charade.
I guess they were try to make a movie about sibling rivalry. But suddenly movie change drastically. Lots of action and suspense sequence. It's all shot very crappy. You know, this is low budget movie. But what I don't understand is,comedy style of this movie is cute. But somehow when they show the violence it's quite brutal. I don't get it.
It's typical Wong Jing Comedy movie. It's awful. But at least at that time comedy was funny and works
I guess they were try to make a movie about sibling rivalry. But suddenly movie change drastically. Lots of action and suspense sequence. It's all shot very crappy. You know, this is low budget movie. But what I don't understand is,comedy style of this movie is cute. But somehow when they show the violence it's quite brutal. I don't get it.
It's typical Wong Jing Comedy movie. It's awful. But at least at that time comedy was funny and works
Regular...
RosanaBotafogo22 July 2021
I can't say if the film is boring or if I'm completely impatient with comedies, extremely simple production, captivating characters, but the exaggeration, the unattractive script and the effects are discouraging... Regular...
A pretty amusing crime comedy with Carol Cheng and Maggie Cheung.
OllieSuave-00722 April 2015
This is a crime comedy starring Carol 'Do Do' Cheng and Maggie Cheung as Nurse Liang Shanbo and Actress Zhu Yingtai (Maggie Cheung), mismatched cousins who just inherited a rental home from their late relative. Their frustrated relationship makes the movie quite entertaining from the start and suspense builds when they moved in to their home and discover that a room has been rented out to a criminal gangster named Ben. His nefarious activities later gets him killed but before he dies, he whispers a code in Yingtai's ear. The plot gains more steam when the girls are later visited by a man claiming to be Ben's brother (Ben Lam), who wants to solve the case. In the meantime, gangsters believed to be involved with Ben's murder want to retrieve the code from the girls, whom they think were told by Ben what it actually unlocks.
Somewhat fast paced from start to finish, the suspense is sometimes interrupted or intertwined in the silly humor, which is evident in lots of these Hong Kong films. Plenty of clever acting, but some times the action is a little too quick. But overall, it's a pretty entertaining crime comedy.
Grade B-
Somewhat fast paced from start to finish, the suspense is sometimes interrupted or intertwined in the silly humor, which is evident in lots of these Hong Kong films. Plenty of clever acting, but some times the action is a little too quick. But overall, it's a pretty entertaining crime comedy.
Grade B-
Surprising fun breezy romp
juliankennedy231 September 2018
Double Causes Trouble (Shen Yong Shuang Mei Mai); 7 out of 10: Late Eighties Hong Kong comedy with broad slapstick comedy, some deft performances, and a few action scenes. The basic plot is two single female cousins, who hate each other, inherit their late grandmother's apartment with the stipulation that they have to live together in the apartment for one year or they lose the inheritance. The Apartment comes with a handsome male boarder whom the cousins immediately fight over but alas he is not whom he seems to be.
The Good: If this movie has one thing going for it it is forward momentum. Like a combination of Airplane and Benny Hill if one doesn't like a setup payoff or particular set of characters just wait a minute and a new scene or a twist will be upon you. The comedy is more smirk than laugh out laugh funny but there is an awful lot of it. It also goes places one would not expect and that level of surprise is one of the delights of the film.
The acting (and overacting) helps keep things breezy with the leads Carol 'Do Do' Cheng and Maggie Cheung being particular standouts. The supporting cast fits their roles well and all look the broad characterization they are supposed to play so kudos to the casting department.
The Bad: This being a Shaw Brothers film one might expect some Martial Arts action. It is awful with some of the least convincing stunt doubles this side of Kirk fighting a Gorn.
The Ugly: Those that hate subtitles and those that are "woke" are going to join forces on disliking this film. Whether it is the comical date rapist, the homosexual hitman and hitwoman, or the transexual stinger joke this might not be a crowd pleaser for those that are uptight or sensitive about such things. The film's description of women on the prowl for a husband will also raise some recently plucked eyebrows. On the other hand the complete disregard of such concerns makes the film a bit of a guilty pleasure in this day and age.
Overall a surprising fun breezy romp that is an antidote for the more serious fare.
The Good: If this movie has one thing going for it it is forward momentum. Like a combination of Airplane and Benny Hill if one doesn't like a setup payoff or particular set of characters just wait a minute and a new scene or a twist will be upon you. The comedy is more smirk than laugh out laugh funny but there is an awful lot of it. It also goes places one would not expect and that level of surprise is one of the delights of the film.
The acting (and overacting) helps keep things breezy with the leads Carol 'Do Do' Cheng and Maggie Cheung being particular standouts. The supporting cast fits their roles well and all look the broad characterization they are supposed to play so kudos to the casting department.
The Bad: This being a Shaw Brothers film one might expect some Martial Arts action. It is awful with some of the least convincing stunt doubles this side of Kirk fighting a Gorn.
The Ugly: Those that hate subtitles and those that are "woke" are going to join forces on disliking this film. Whether it is the comical date rapist, the homosexual hitman and hitwoman, or the transexual stinger joke this might not be a crowd pleaser for those that are uptight or sensitive about such things. The film's description of women on the prowl for a husband will also raise some recently plucked eyebrows. On the other hand the complete disregard of such concerns makes the film a bit of a guilty pleasure in this day and age.
Overall a surprising fun breezy romp that is an antidote for the more serious fare.
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