Where a Good Man Goes (1999)
Reviewed by: JohnR on 2007-07-03
Summary: Cooda Ben A Contenda
A strong performance by Lau Ching-Wan is wasted because someone got lazy with the writing. The premise of the story is not new. Guy gets out of prison with no money or skills plus a huge chip on his shoulder, tries to do what he thinks is right, but society is out to get him. Society is played here by one police officer (Lam Suet)and the entire taxi fleet of Macau. Is it a case of once-a-triad-always-a-triad with society forcing Michael to maintain his role, or will the love of a good woman give him the push he needs to turn his life around?

With a solid performance by LCW and Johnnie To directing, you'd guess this would be really good. Unfortunately, the writing's weak in that it's difficult to sympathise with Michael, as he's essentially an angry, violent SOB. His enemies are one dimensional and, at least initially, more sympathetic than Michael. And one of the main reasons Michael becomes more sympathetic is simply because the taxi drivers and cops are exaggeratedly evil. E.g., the scene where Ruby's character has to go to the hospital, and the scene at the school yard with the drivers and Lam Suet's cop. They just lacked credibility.

If they could have made the characters more realistic I would have enjoyed it more. Still, it's not a bad movie. It's just a little frustrating because with a little more time on the script it could have been a classic.

I'm giving it a 7 because of the three leads and the look of it.
Reviewer Score: 7