Stanley Fung Shui-fan(Lucky Stars series, Romancing Star, etc) has the lead role as Tsui. A vigilant but struggling social worker who cares for the mentally ill of Hong Kong. Unfortunately for Tsui and HK's mentally ill, there's just not enough care, tolerance, understanding, and a big enough budget to cope with the problem. Deanie Yip as the reporter Ms. Lau tags along Tsui(to his annoyance and fustration) to scope up a story on the "crazy people". A dangerously wild but childlike Doggie(Tony Leung), a granny who likes to scare people with scissors and lives in a yard full of cans, a loony street doctor(John Shum Kin-fun), a caring but totally incapable father(Chow Yun-fat) are some of Tsui's cases. But his one success story is Chuen(Paul Chun), who recovered after yrs at the mental hospital. But Tsui's work is tough and endless, and Ms. Lau slowly realizes his hardships. Unfortunately after being denied seeing his son, Tsui's one success story Chuen breaks down and fell back to his illness..........

This is a disturbing film. Not exactly in the shock you with gore way(though this is alot of blood and shock), but more in the way of the movie portrays how the community treats the mentally ill. Much of the tragedy stems from their ignorance, their fear and it leads to the death of more than a few people, including the central character.

Stanley Fung is no doubt a totally great but underated dramatic actor, playing something very different than his comic persona in his more popular movies. His perfromance is a serious, restrained yet powerful one. His emotions are clearly felt through the screen. His character is diligent and committed to his work but the yrs of seemingly endless setbacks and only a limited success has taken a toll on his committment to his cause. This is a terrific performance from him, worthy of a more acclaimed career. Paul Chun as Chuen is also a highlight. A disturbing but sympathetic performance of a man driven over the edge. Unable to be employed because of his past illness, he is cared for by his aging and suffering mother. His fustration of being denied of seeing his son soon leads him to strangling chickens and eventually taking up a knife. His scene in his son's kindergarten school, of him weeping while blood-soaked is just emotionally powerful. Chow Yun-fat and Tony Leung has small, but compelling supporting roles in the film. Their performances are notable and at the same time showed how pitiful their characters are. Chow Yun-fat(before being A-list) is quite disturbing without being over-the-top as the mentally handicapped father of two. He is full of fear and anxiety of his secret, yet genuinely cares for his kid(s). His secret of his missing son is shockingly tragic. Tony Leung, also before his Best Actor status, is very brave to play such a role as Doggie in so early of his movie career. Doggie is dangerously playful yet at the same time helplessly lost in a child's mind, unable to grasp the situation he is in which eventually leads to the final tragedy with Tsui. You don't see Andy Lau playing such characters. Overall a very great film if you feel like being sad, but definitely not for happy days.