The Mistress (1999)
Reviewed by: ryan on 1999-11-21
Summary: Mistress (1999)
Recently more and more independent productions have been showing in theatres. After Fruit CHAN's 'The Longest Summer' in January, Daniel CHAN's 'Slow Fade' followed last month, and now we have 'Mistress,' directed by Crystal KWOK Kam-yan. Crystal KWOK Kam-yan has an image of a person with a very liberal view toward sex, and considering the film's title, I was anxious to see how she would handle her first directorial effort.

'Mistress' presents us with Alex, a woman who grew up in Canada and has just come back to Hong Kong. She gets a job as private tutor for Michelle, a girl from China who is living with a rich man, Herny (Ray LUI Leung-wai), for money. Herny is married but is looking for concubines. At first, Alex feels that the relationship between Michelle and Herny is indecent. However, as the two women build a relationship, Alex's attitude totally changes. When Herny and Michelle break up, Alex suddenly wants to fill the vacant position of concubine. Once she makes this decision, she is lost in her sexual fantasies and is unable to control herself.

'Mistress' is a movie that focuses on 'the other woman' involved in a lover's game. However, the angle taken by director Crystal KWOK Kam-yan is very unique. Unlike other movies that take the view of the first wife, this film never concerns itself with Herny's first wife. This film only considers the female perspective from the point of view of Alex and Michelle.

The Chinese title of 'Mistress' ('Lost in Forest') is a metaphor for the movie's theme. In the first half of the movie, we see how Michelle behaves when she is lost in a 'sexual forest.' At first, the role of Alex is that of a witness (like that of the film's audience), presenting an objective, third-party view about the issue. However, when Michelle loses Herny, Alex takes Michelle's place and behaves like Michelle did. By closely associating with Alex's character at the beginning, the audience is more effectively moved to understand her transformation, as she likewise becomes lost in this 'forest.' This is why the plot holds one's interest.

The film is also successful by showing us glimpses of Alex's subconsciousness from time to time. For example, when she sees Herny playing golf at home, she is thinking if she is playing in a naked girl's virgin. In addition, from time to time there is a flash showing Alex walking through a forest. These moments expressing Alex's feelings also make the movie more involving. The camera work is also another effective element in 'Mistress.' The switch between a television-quality presentation and normal cinematography and the coloring of repeated scenes gives the audience a strong indication of Alex's imbalance. Maybe some shots are repeated too often, but this is not very distracting.

In short, 'Mistress' is a movie that takes a look at sexual fantasies. Unlike other movies, it uses a third party's position when probing the issue of concubines, and its use of the camera effectively presents the will and desires of the characters involved. Although it is first movie directed by Crystal KWOK Kam-yan, she has created a fine movie that shows how her female characters fall into a tricky labyrinth of sexual relations.