An interesting fact about the title of this film is that there have been five Hong Kong films in the last six years that have been given the English title "Those Were The Days" (this being the fifth) but what's more interesting is that the star of this film Jordan "Chicken" Chan actually appeared in one of the others - if there is ever a "Book of Surreal Facts" made he deserves an inclusion for being in two films with the same title.

"Those Were The Days" (the 2000 version) is by design waist high in "Young And Dangerous" territory but there's more romance in this film than in all those films put together but that's not to say that this is heavy on romance it's just that the Y&D films steered entirely clear of the subject (well almost anyway). The film features five Y&D vets - Jordan Chan, Jerry Lamb and in a cameo role Ekin Cheng, Anthony Wong & Sandra Ng (I feel sure that there are more lurking within the supporting cast). To makes things even more confusing the female lead is played by Gigi Leung (Ekin Cheng's real life girlfriend).

Like I've said it is in many ways very reminiscent of the "Young And Dangerous" films but it tells its story in a straighter less obviously comic book fashion. I don't wish that to sound like I don't like those films because I love them and triad films in general as regular readers of this column will testify. Director Yip Wai Man (Chow Sing Chi's "The Sixty Million Dollar Man") earned his gangster credentials directing Sandra Ng (Sister Thirteen) in 1998's "Portland Street Blues" so he has no problems getting to grips with the subject matter. In fact Wai Man manages to make the tower blocks of Hong Kong look almost photogenic which no disrespect intended is quite a tough job.

The story concerns the on-off-on-off love story between Cock (Jordan Chan) and Gee (Gigi Leung) but also relates the tale of four young boys as they grow up - Cock, Tim, Prepuce & Wrinkles - and fall into the triad lifestyle. Liberal use is made of flashbacks but they do not seem inappropriate and those featuring the guys as youngsters are actually very effective and help set the scene for the story that follows. Jordan Chan is always good value for money, Gigi Leung is as cute as always and Jerry Lamb is Jerry Lamb which is to say that he gives his usual efficient performance.

There will be better films this year but as a little bit of a spin on the traditional gangster movie it is more than OK. There is some wonderful evocative imagery courtesy of the director and most if not all of the performances are at least good but the drawback is that with there having been six previous "Young And Dangerous" films (seven if you include the newly released "Born To Be King" aka "Young And Dangerous 6") and countless imitators familiarity is bound to breed boredom (contempt is too strong a word) in places.