At the same time as "Our Neighbour Detective" (1995), another film directed by Cha Chuen-Yee, "Secret Lover" (1995), both films are of the genre that he has had success before. In 1991, "Take Me" was his famous film, but it's not his best genre. "Our Neighbour Detective" was his best film in the same genre since "Legal Innocence" (1993).
This time, Cha Chuen-Yee still cooperated with screenwriters Chung Kai-Cheung and Lam Kee-To. The film tells that Officer Lau played by Anthony Wong Chau-Sang is investigating a murder case, and in the process, he's entangled with the mysterious woman Lo played by Yu Li. In addition to narrating his investigation and inferring who the murderer is, the film also adds the emotional life between him and his girlfriend played by Lai Hoi-Shan, making this character instantly vivid. And Anthony Wong's performance is excellent, many scenes of talking to himself, all rely on his personal performance, making the scene interesting. In fact, the role of this "neighborhood policeman" came from "Legal innocence". This film placed him in the Hong Kong New Territories market for the convenience of filming and to match the film's rambling rhythm.
The biggest flaw of the film is that Yu Li's performance is too blunt, and the repeated appearance of a memory clip of Tina's rape played by Ivy Leung Sze-Man is also too abrupt and annoying, reflecting the producer's lack of self-confidence and only showing off pornography. The scene is pitiful and pathetic.
By Kam Po LAM (original in Chinese)
This article was published in "1995 Hong Kong Film Review" by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society.
This time, Cha Chuen-Yee still cooperated with screenwriters Chung Kai-Cheung and Lam Kee-To. The film tells that Officer Lau played by Anthony Wong Chau-Sang is investigating a murder case, and in the process, he's entangled with the mysterious woman Lo played by Yu Li. In addition to narrating his investigation and inferring who the murderer is, the film also adds the emotional life between him and his girlfriend played by Lai Hoi-Shan, making this character instantly vivid. And Anthony Wong's performance is excellent, many scenes of talking to himself, all rely on his personal performance, making the scene interesting. In fact, the role of this "neighborhood policeman" came from "Legal innocence". This film placed him in the Hong Kong New Territories market for the convenience of filming and to match the film's rambling rhythm.
The biggest flaw of the film is that Yu Li's performance is too blunt, and the repeated appearance of a memory clip of Tina's rape played by Ivy Leung Sze-Man is also too abrupt and annoying, reflecting the producer's lack of self-confidence and only showing off pornography. The scene is pitiful and pathetic.
By Kam Po LAM (original in Chinese)
This article was published in "1995 Hong Kong Film Review" by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society.
