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江湖情 (1987)
Rich and Famous


Reviewed by: Inner Strength
Date: 07/07/2007
Summary: Poor

Basically another gangster movie, but there are so many problems. It's dogged with poor acting, terrible effects, and lack of originality in the story. When you consider the classic HK movies releases around the same time, this is truly put in it's place.

The story is basically about 2 brothers, one up to no good (Alex Man), and high in gambling debts. When he trys to rip off the owner of a race track, he is pretty much forced to do favours for the boss to repay him. This eventually goes on to betraying his own brother, the good boy - played by Andy Lau. Andy Lau's character is helped by his friend (a very pathetic looking Alan Tam in this one) and another gang boss (Chow Yun-Fat). There is then 60 minutes of nothing pretty much, random gang fights etc, but leads up to the point where Chow Yun-Fat marries a girl he wants to settle down with and leave the gang scene. A huge battle commences as Alex Man turns up with his goons to try and kill him and his new wife. A lof of bullets fired, both Chow & his wife are hit, and the final fight takes place with eveyone injured and Alan Tam's character dies from his injuries. But the overall ending was happier than expected.

Worth a watch, but the poor production values and the plot as well as acting just doesn't make it worth seeing again. When you see some of Taylor Wong Tai-Loi's other works after this, you can see he did at least improve eventually from this early outing.

Reviewer Score: 4

Reviewed by: Sydneyguy
Date: 11/14/2004
Summary: Am i the only one to like this movie

Yes i do agree with the other reviewers, the plot holes, people not dying after 100 bullets, and so on but i still found this movie entertaining. I didn't use the fast forward button much and it's a classic example of Chow Yun Fat playing the super cool character.

I guess for myself all the failings of the movie was not enough to waver my interest and enjoyment in the movie


7/10


Reviewed by: mrblue
Date: 02/09/2002

Two brothers (Alex Man and Andy Lau) are forced to enter the Triad to pay off gambling debts. Their boss (Chow Yun-Fat) is a kind man and they find success within the organization, but one brother's hunger for power eventually sets them against one another. This is pretty straightforward Triad stuff (Danny Lee even sticks his head in a couple of scenes as -- you guessed it -- a cop) enlivened by a great performance by Chow Yun-Fat (but then, one gets the idea that he could pull off this kind of stock role in his sleep) and a couple of decent gunbattles. Rich and Famous is kind of disappointing considering the cast involved, and really only recommended for die-hard Triad movie or Chow Yun-Fat fans.


Reviewed by: TequilaYuen
Date: 06/24/2001
Summary: What the Hell Happened Here?

This movie started off fairly well, good characterization between Andy Lau and Alex Man, and their involvement with the triad. Then without warning the film seems more interested in outrageous unbelievable gunfights and beating people with car fenders than any coherent storyline. Alex Man goes from being a good guy turned bad to a ruthless superkiller. It is very poorly written, seems like it was half written by Tsui Hark (with the good characterization) then finished by Wong Jing (beating people with bar fenders and strangling people while they are taking a piss. It started off so well....Chow Yun Fat is completely wasted....


Reviewed by: hkcinema
Date: 12/08/1999

A prequel to _Tragic Hero_, Hong Kong's answer to_The Godfather_ The two films were shot simultaneously, but the producers decided to release the second part first because it had more action.

[Reviewed by Anonymous]


Reviewed by: spinali
Date: 12/08/1999
Summary: NULL

Complicated (and vaguely monotonous) underworld melodrama, with big boss Chow-Yun Fat (well-groomed, kind to his underlings, loyal to his old friends -- is this a triad recruitment film?) under pressure from rival crime gangs to surrender two fugitives he's hidden away from the cops. But when he demotes his number two man (Alex Man) for insubordination, the subordinate becomes a turn coat. The movie's a lot of long, inefficient set-ups finished off by a brisk, climactic flare of violence -- which, true to HK cliche, happens at Chow's wedding.

(2/4)



[Reviewed by Steve Spinali]

Reviewer Score: 5