Screening as part of the Film Archive’s 100 Must-See Hong Kong Movies, this is a delightful romantic comedy from 1987, starring Chow Yun Fat and Cherie Chung, and filmed in New York City. Innocent young stuent Jennifer (Chung) moves to NYC to study and be close to her boyfriend, staying with a distant relative she’s never met, Figgy (Chow Yun Fat). No sooner has Jennifer arrived in the big scary city she discovers that her boyfriend has been cheating on her and is forced to fend for herself. While he pretends not to care, Figgy is only too happy to take care of the sweet and beautiful girl, and slowly romance begins to blossom between them.
Director Mabel Cheung paints a conflicted portrait of New York, on the one hand dirty, hostile and dangerous, but also filled with gorgeous landmarks, stunning scenery and a wealth of promises and opportunities. Chow’s chain-smoking, foul-mouthed chancer is a lovable rogue and a superb role for the actor’s unique charms, while Chung’s beautiful girl-next-door manages to play helpless without being irritating. Together they create wonderful onscreen chemistry and while the story rarely surprises, it nevertheless finds new and appealing ways to spin its tale of romance. I also have it on good authority that Figgy and his friends’ incessant foul-mouthed banter is responsible for a number of catchphrases and slang expressions that are still commonly used around Hong Kong to this day.
