R E V I E W

A Gambler's Story

Mei Ah | 2001 | 89 minutes
Directed by Marco Mak

With Francis Ng, Suki Kwan

B A C K G R O U N D
director, in cinemas, recent and related films

Marco Mak Chi-Sin is a long-time film editor and associate of Tsui Hark. His films include Swordsman, Once Upon a Time in China, Swordsman II, Full Alert, The Storm Riders, and, more recently, The Duel and Time and Tide. As a director he made The Blood Rules and Love Correction in 2000, and Cop on a Mission earlier in 2001.

The film played in Hong Kong cinemas in October 2001.

M O V I E

plot
A down on his luck gambler sees brighter days after meeting a nightclub hostess. Things get stranger, though, when they meet again in Macau.

production
Anyone who thinks that Hong Kong films have become pale imitations of their Hollywood brethren or simply routine and uneventful needs to check out this deranged, beautiful, ugly work. It's just so, uh, what's the word, well, "weird" doesn't quite capture it, but it's certainly strange and completely unpredictable.

On the surface it seems that producer Wong Jing asked director Marco Mak to make another gambling movie, and didn't give him any parameters to stay within (except to include scenes of people gambling in Macau). At first glance it looks like a serious drama, but it quickly changes tone to something resembling comedy — not broad and easy; instead, it's darker than night.

And then the "comedy" slips into such black comedy that it's difficult to know how to react. One scene in particular is so outrageously over-the-top that it made me laugh, but I was immediately seized by guilt and consternation — am I supposed to laugh? That's not funny, is it? There's more than one scene like that, and the uncomfortable feelings became rather routine.

The story veers like a drunken driver all over the emotional map, and it's impossible to anticipate its destination. So the trip kept me on edge and somewhat bemused throughout. Hold hands with the wild-eyed and sleepless Francis Ng and try to keep up.

Suki Kwan (also effective in Cop on a Mission) plays a woman who gets involved with Francis in unexpected ways.

rating
Category IIB for some bloody beatings and discreetly filmed sexual situations.

D V D

look
The letterboxed (approximately 1.66:1) presentation is very good. The colors tend to be bathed in yellow hues, and this is reproduced accurately. The source print is very clean.

sound
The DD 5.1 Cantonese audio track sounded quite good. For a character-driven comedy/drama, the sound field was expansive and the surrounds were consistently active. Three other tracks are included (DD 5.1 Mandarin, DD 2.0 Cantonese, DD 2.0 Mandarin).

subtitles
The white removable English subtitles are easy enough to read and well timed. The errors that occur are not terribly distracting. Also included are traditional and simplified Chinese subtitles.

features
Nine chapters can be selected from a still-frame menu. The "bestbuy" section features trailers for Glass Tears and United We Stand, and Swim. The "databank" consists of a cast and crew listing and synopsis.

R E C O M M E N D A T I O N
buy, rent, or pass?

Rent. Goofy and entirely unpredictable, with good performances by Francis Ng and Suki Kwan.

(Reviewed 12/18/01)

THIS DVD IS AVAILABLE AT HKFLIX.COM