Embracing the last 40 years' sprawling history of Hong Kong, this movie will strike a heart-felt chord of resonance with her people. There is in fact a similar movie almost a decade ago, renowned director Ann Hui's "Ordinary heroes" (1999) which, however, is the story of real people. "Mr Cinema", on the other hand, uses fictitious characters
.characters, however, that are so iconic that they are almost as good as real. Incidentally, two of the stars in "Mr Cinema", Anthony WONG Chau-sang and PAW Hee-ching, also starred in "Ordinary heroes".
The story of "Mr cinema" evolves around two grass-root families, the head of which are ideologically as polarized as you can imagine, but get along as friends. At the main plot are parents played by Wong and Teresa MO Shun-kwan, with a son played by Ronald CHENG Chung-kei (when grown up). The sub-plot rests of on the shoulders of SUM Kin-fun and Paw, as well as Karen MOK Man-wai playing their daughter (when grown up). The story is about things unique to Hong Kong, but also about things universal family value, holding firmly onto one's principals and believes, growing up, going away to study and coming back, career and frustration, birth and death, friendship, love, sacrifices . While not to the extent of minimalism, the story is told with honest simplicity, touching without being sappy.
The cast is simply wonderful. Every scene is a gem. But if I were to pick only one, I would, without any hesitation, choose the scene when Cheng, playing a rebellious son, gets into a nasty verbal fight with the father played by Wong. But the Oscar goes to Mo. Playing the conciliating mother (as mothers usually are), she speaks quietly to the son, with such pain and love and understanding that will break the most cynical of hearts.
The best movie I have seen so far in 2007.
The story of "Mr cinema" evolves around two grass-root families, the head of which are ideologically as polarized as you can imagine, but get along as friends. At the main plot are parents played by Wong and Teresa MO Shun-kwan, with a son played by Ronald CHENG Chung-kei (when grown up). The sub-plot rests of on the shoulders of SUM Kin-fun and Paw, as well as Karen MOK Man-wai playing their daughter (when grown up). The story is about things unique to Hong Kong, but also about things universal family value, holding firmly onto one's principals and believes, growing up, going away to study and coming back, career and frustration, birth and death, friendship, love, sacrifices . While not to the extent of minimalism, the story is told with honest simplicity, touching without being sappy.
The cast is simply wonderful. Every scene is a gem. But if I were to pick only one, I would, without any hesitation, choose the scene when Cheng, playing a rebellious son, gets into a nasty verbal fight with the father played by Wong. But the Oscar goes to Mo. Playing the conciliating mother (as mothers usually are), she speaks quietly to the son, with such pain and love and understanding that will break the most cynical of hearts.
The best movie I have seen so far in 2007.