Clean My Name, Mr Coroner! (2000)

As a coroner, Keith Ko (Francis Ng) hasn't got the most glamorous role in the Hong Kong medical system. All that talk about hacking up bodies certainly isn't helping his love life. But after a quick string of events as a fugitive, Keith has plenty more to talk about.

Undercover cop Fred (Nick Cheung) is on the run after what looks like a setup. A headless and handless body is found in his car's boot and it looks like the remains of his partner. $200 million in cash has vanished, and soon Fred is out of sight too. Keith's called in for a quick poke around the crime scene, gives his advice, and offers to carry out the full post-mortem the next morning.

The next day Ko's beaten to the autopsy room. The police asked his partner to carry out a quick early morning exam on the body and they've wrapped up the case. Something's fishy, and soon Fred runs in demanding to see the body in the morgue. There's a rat in the ranks back at the copshop, it seems. And Fred asks the coroner to help clear his name.

An above-par cop drama, Clean My Name, Mr Coroner! benefits from a clear set of characters. Francis Ng is enjoyable to watch in a low-key role as a wealthy loner living off an inheritance and sporting a distinct getup. Nick Cheung is kept to a more serious approach, which is once again a good thing to see, though his final gag plays like a bum note. Ti Lung is in the wings as Officer Lau -- a cop displaying simple thoughts and approaches. Stephanie Che's character is the person who offers shelter once both Keith and Fred are on the run from the law. She's introduced to the narrative smoothly as a bargirl playing it cold to Fred, yet still counting the days since they first set eyes on each other.

As with previous work from the Mei Ah/Brilliant Idea Group stable, the production values in Clean My Name, Mr Coroner! are above those of most Hong Kong productions these days. James Yuen's direction is far more enjoyable than with his lukewarm My Loving Trouble 7 earlier this year. The look of the film is pleasing with some good work on locations highlighted in the police station (the building's age is nicely commented on in the film). Action isn't the film's forte, though a scene seeing Fred sprint though Wanchai is envigorating with a speedy pace and huge amount of ground covered.

While the script is a clean affair, the ending is a letdown. The opportunity to bookend the film with a scene between Keith and his date has been approached but takes a misstep at the last minute. Opening and closing the movie with Keith sitting in the same location would add strength to the storytelling. Unfortunately a throwaway scene with Fred is added after Keith's final moment, looking like an afterthought and diminishing the film's focus.

The President Theatre's Clean My Name, Mr Coroner! Next Change painted billboard

Credits:

Scripted and directed by James Yuen
Produced by Joe Ma
Starring Francis Ng Chun-yu, Nick Cheung Ka-fai, Ti Lung, Stephanie Che Yuen-yuen, Joe Ma and Jerry Lam