Juliet in Love (2000)Judy (Sandra Ng) has lost much in her life. Her husband walked out on her after she underwent a mastectomy and her sole relative is her senile father. In the course of her work at a restaurant one night, she watches on as layabout Jordon (Francis Ng) sparks trouble with the local triad chief Cheng (Simon Yam). Over the coming days, outrageous twists of fate bring her and Jordon together to create, albeit artificially and briefly, a new sense of family and belonging. Jordon's mate (Tats Lau) has run up debts with a Yuen Long-based roughie; an underling for Cheng. Heading to a meeting to deal with the debt, he spots Judy running to the hospital after her father is struck down by a van. A series of brisk, almost farcical situations soon pass with the end result that Jordon must care for Cheng's infant son - an unnamed child the result of a cross-border affair. Charged with looking after the child, Jordon moves in with Judy as he, like her, has no family in Hong Kong to turn to. Looking after the baby goes beyond mere babysitting though. The two are essentally without hope and though fate had already been drawing them together, their lives are renewed through the sudden parenting duties and nascent home building. And in particular for Judy, she can see she's not alone in her loneliness and that there is indeed someone who appreciates her. To reach this, the plot verges on the absurd at times but in a wholly enjoyable manner. The actors hold it together with considerable strength and palpable warmth. This film especially clicks as a continuation of the interesting work already committed to film by the production team and scriptwriter. Juliet in Love relates back to earlier productions Bullets Over Summer and PR Girls (written and directed by Matt Chow) in several aspects. Each of the three use similar themes of camaraderie/constructed families (and to a tiny extent, so does Yip/Ma/Chow's Bio-Zombie re: Sam Lee opening up), feature interesting soundtracks and creative visuals, and return to the same locations in the Yuen Long/Tin Shui Wai area. Technically, Juliet in Love takes it to a much higher level. The polish is impeccable - the score is miles above Bullets Over Summer's, the visual feel is tight and the choice of cast members is just delightful. The two Ngs play their impressive roles careful and tight. Simon Yam's subtle turn as a triad boss is as carefully paced as his lackey Lam Suet is vile. Yam's character continually stands out; always with his primary school-aged son in tow and interrupting his gangland business and marital trouble to assist in his learning. Yet at the same time, he's willing to sit back as Jordon is put through hellish ordeals to pay off his partner's debt. Tats Lau is comic as Francis Ng's sidekick but his humour is never grating nor misplaced, and his character's predicaments ably serve to bring together the leads. A gorgeous and most satisfying production - Juliet in Love is not something to pass up on. Note: The theatrical trailer for this film uses the earlier English-language title - Butterfly Lovers. |
Credits: Directed by Wilson Yip |
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