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愛在黑社會的日子 (1993)
Love Among the Triad


Reviewed by: STSH
Date: 01/28/2007
Summary: Yes, it is possible .........

Odd mixture of gang violence, stunning glamour and domestic drama, but it works quite well. Story comes down to the changing relationships of five people. Gangster Wan Yeung-Ming with wife Veronica Yip and mistress Cecelia Yip (who plays a singer), Simon Yam (also a gangster) plays Ver Yip's brother, who is wooed by potential business associate Rosamund Kwan. I can't recall all the character's names, but Cecelia played Cece (translated as Cecelia !), and at least two of the others seemed to be using their real personal names.

Wan, despite having the intimate attention of two of HK's most luscious ladies, plays a foul-tempered thug who lashes out and never apologizes, except by giving money, and has successfully kept the fact that he has a mistress from his wife. But that's about to change..... The fiery Cecelia gets a raw deal from Wan, finds herself amiably and often bumping into Simon, and they become close. But he manages to get along well with Rosamund.... at least for a while.

There are some wonderful moments. The two guys are out with two of the girls, and they are pursued by knife-wielding gang members, the screaming girls are deposited in a doorway by Simon, who then rescues Cecelia first, much to Rosamund's (by then, his fiancee) disgust. Near the end, when Cecelia is told some tragic but expected news, she smiles, walks away, and dissolves into tears as a sad love song swells up - sounds corny, but it's heart- wrenching. And the scene where Rosamund, after telling Simon that she and him are finished, saves him from a knife attack, is also a standout. Sporadic outbursts of violence are treated in unusual ways. For instance, an incident in the middle is made into a hard-rock video clip.

Rosamund, given the full glamour treatment and soft- focus, and looks pretty damn good. And if ever you thought that Cec Yip would look really gorgeous if only she smiled a bit, then this is the movie for you. Whenever she flashes her choppers here, she turns from simply a severe-looking beauty into a goddess, easily outshining even Ver Yip. Cec Yip, for her looks and her convincing portrayal of what could have been a very unsympathetic character, is by far the outstanding presence in this film, and she blasts everyone else off the screen. And, against expectations for a love story involving gangs, it has a happy ending for all. Even so, I'd like to have seen Wan's horrid character score a fatal knife-wound in the gut !

OVERALL : Definitely worth watching.

Reviewer Score: 8

Reviewed by: Michael Kistner
Date: 04/18/2006
Summary: 9

Very good, entertaining movie with a great cast. Rosamund Kwan, Cecilia Yip and Veronica Yip look all great and deliver good performances.

Not a action movie, but a good drama.

Reviewer Score: 9

Reviewed by: hkcinema
Date: 12/21/1999

A love triangle between warring triad factions makes forentertaining viewing in this gritty gangster drama.

[Reviewed by Tai Seng Catalog]


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

This mish-mosh of romantic in-fighting and gangland violence in a triad family goes nowhere slowly; but it's made a little more watchable by Rosamund Kwan and Veronica Yip.

(1.5/4)



[Reviewed by Steve Spinali]

Reviewer Score: 3