Fascination Amour (1999)
Reviewed by: ryan on 1999-11-21
Summary: Fascination Amour (1999)
Out of the three Chinese New Year Hong Kong movies, 'Fascination Amour' is the one which states as a pure romantic love story. The producer Raymond WONG Pak-ming has been successful from his 'Eighth Happiness' type series in late 80s and early 90s. This time he wants to have a change by having a trip on a ship. From the radio interview, he stated that the idea of 'Fascination Amour' comes from the successful 'Titanic'.

Hopefully 'Fascination Amour' is not 'Titanic' in storyline. The movie starts with Andy LAU who is a billionaire but very inconsiderate. He has engaged marriage for 8 times but failed at all. This time he failed with HSU Wing who finally finds herself fall in love with WONG Lui, a crew in the ship. Accidentally Andy met Sandy (Ishida Hikari), another young beautifal lady who is as inconsiderate as Andy LAU. Andy sets his goals to get Sandy as his wife. On the ship there is another couple Jack (Raymond WONG Pak-ming) and Rose (Christine ENG Wing-mei) who would like to take this chance to get the feeling of being in 'Titanic' by imitating scenes.

Bascially from the storyline of 'Fascination Amour', it is expected that Herman YAU and Raymond WONG has a great ambition in presenting this love story by putting all the three elements in the movie -- Andy LAU and Ishida Hikari as a pair which in adventure; WONG Lui and TSUI Wing as a pair which seems to be more flat but romantic while Raymond WONG and Chrisine ENG as a pair who are funny. However, it seems that the movie is too short to present all the three storyline in a continuous way.

For the story of Andy LAU and Ishida Hikari, it seems that the first half of the movie about the engaged marriage has blocked the initial development of Ishida. I consider if the engagement between Andy and TSUI Wing can be shortened, the story can have more atmosphere for Ishida and Andy to show their love. In fact, the contradiction between Andy and Ishide is okay but we expect more. In the first part of the movie, the plot tried to illustrate that Andy is a inconsiderate guy. I think this can be combined in the interaction between Ishida which can be more fruitful.

For the part of Raymond WONG and Christine ENG, maybe this is the most funny part of the movie. However, in view of a movie, it's also a part which destory the movie at all. Maybe Hong Kong audience love 'Titanic' too much but it seems that the scenes they have adopted are lack of creation. I don't mind they imitate the flying scene of Jack and Rose, painting with naked body provided that they can put their own efforts. Unfortunately, it's not the case for 'Fascination Amour'. Direct duplication without tone fusing makes their part not consistant with the main plot.

For the part of WONG Lui and TSUI Wing, I think the elaboration is the flattest one out of the three but it very powerful. Sometimes a good romantic scene does not mean tons of elaborations. It seems that the starting is good but it seems that they haven't put more efforts to make it further. At the end they just put up a scene for the break up of engagement between Andy and TSUI for the whole stuff. I expect that the plot can put more stuffs in this line to make the whole movie in a more romantic way.

In terms of performance, I consider Andy LAU this time seems not get used to be in a role with inconsiderate characters and his performance seems to be too typical and woody. I consider the plot is also responsible for the woody perception among audience as they have put up the descrptions of Andy in too similiar way. I expect that the outcomes can be better if they can put up some more situations to show Andy's characters in more dimensions.

In short, 'Fascination Amour' has got a very ambitious ideas which can be a good Chinese New Year movie. However, it seems that it can be better if they can have a more wise management in distributing the plot for the three stories as well as putting more efforts in presenting the characters of Andy LAU.