STANLEY BELOVED (1997)

Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Sound format: Mono

A Eurasian teenager (Wes Wong) falls into despair after being told by his parents that he's being shipped off to England to complete his education, forcing him to re-evaluate his friendship with an old school buddy (Oliver Williams).

[Caution: Spoiler] Given that Simon Chung Tak-sing's neat little drama has played primarily in gay movie festivals across the world, most viewers will guess the reason behind Wong's mood swings right from the outset. Everyone else will be dismayed by the attention lavished on this sullen teenager, who *appears* to become depressed after low school grades have forced his parents to take drastic action. However, all is revealed in the final scene, when an innocent kiss leads to a surprising - though not terribly dramatic - conclusion. More a random selection of incidents than a structured narrative, the movie is ignited by Wong's naturalistic performance and Williams' carefree attitude (their relationship is subtly altered by the climactic kiss, but also reaffirmed in a positive way). Nothing much happens and some viewers will despair of the open ending, but Chung creates a vivid mood from such simple material, and the film's rewards are legion. The two central characters reappeared in a later film from the same director, FIRST LOVE & OTHER PAINS (1999).