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Life Without Principle (2011)


DiP

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After reading a typically reserved review in the South China Morning post (only 2 outta 5 stars…) I approached the new To with a sense of trepidation. Well, just left the cinema in Causeway Bay (it opened in HK yesterday) and have to admit that it does feel a tad underwhelming. The character studies in the slow build-up phase dragged somewhat and the film didn’t really get into gear before the three different sub-plots started to connect in the last act (stellar editing, goes without saying!) Its HK in the throes of the financial crisis played out as a quirky, delightfully farcical and cleverly constructed character drama spiced with a good dose of sardonic humor (that didn’t fail to generated plenty of giggles from the crowd!). Great acting by the ever-dependable Lau Chin Wan, by Richie Jen, Denise Ho and a wonderful cast of second-tier actors, but still a lesser entry in the Milkyway filmography, I’d say.

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some surprising news I've found out is that Life Without Principle is probably going to be playing in Mainland China sometime in 2012, I have heard maybe in February, but no release date has been confirmed yet. what this means unfortunately is that the HK DVD likely won't be coming out anytime soon, probably not til Feb, March or possibly even later. Totally sucks, now there will be no Johnnie To for the Holidays! :cry:

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I love Lau Ching Wan; he's a great actor that does everything well and working with Johnnie To, he just does amazing work. It's Hong Kong cinema at it's best, but I really miss Ruby Wong though. She and Lau in "Where a Good Man Goes" was as good as it gets for talent. What a shame she left the business.....:frown:

Laura

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I'm glad Lau Ching-Wan is getting more dues. Loved him in Too Many Ways To Be No 1, The Longest Nite and A Hero Never Dies. But to me, it was Mad Detective that really defined him as a versatile actor the same way Sparrow did to Simon Yam and Punished (too underrated a film) Anthony Wong. Still hard to get over the fact that he didn't get an award for his performance.

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masterofoneinchpunch
I'm glad Lau Ching-Wan is getting more dues. Loved him in Too Many Ways To Be No 1, The Longest Nite and A Hero Never Dies. But to me, it was Mad Detective that really defined him as a versatile actor the same way Sparrow did to Simon Yam and Punished (too underrated a film) Anthony Wong. Still hard to get over the fact that he didn't get an award for his performance.

With Lau, for me, I think you can go way back to C'est La Vie Mon Cheri (1993) as a turning point for him as an actor -- though he was nominated for two HK Film Award Best Actor (which might have prevented him from getting it; I have not seen Thou Shalt Not Swear though). I just think he did a lot of so-so material afterwards -- for awhile :).

I wouldn't have picked Jet Li over his performance in Mad Detective.

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Too Many Ways To Be No 1 was very clever (Ruby had a funny role in that one) but the camera shaking all the time drove me nuts. If I had to name some of my favorites with Lau:

1 Where a Good Man Goes

2. The Longest Night (One of the very best films to come out HK as far as I'm concerned)

3. Mad Detective

4. (sorry about this one) La Brassiere

5. Running Out of Time

Laura

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