The Truth About Jane & Sam (1999)

A Singaporean journalist, Sam, arrives in Hong Kong to work with a glossy magazine. Inspired by the film Chungking Express, he heads straight for Chungking Mansions where he spots streetgal Jane popping pills and munching curry. Sam, being the clean-cut, naive soul that he is, follows the odd bouncy girl on what becomes an eyepopping route into the SAR's youth underside of raves and a drink called "Look for a Star". Downing the drink, he knows he's found his star. The next day, he pitches a story idea to his editor that lets him follow and interview Jane.

With promises of cash to grease the wheels of cooperation, Jane opens up to the journalist who by now is taking pity on his find. We find out what led Jane to drift from scam to scam and hide from sunlight. And we also discover Sam's crisis of conscience and morals in coming to HK and working in its filth-hounding tabloid press. The rapport suddenly irons out Jane's creases, she moves into Sam's flat, flushes her stash and gets a job. And just when all is beaming hunky dory, the plot spins into a u-turn...

Some low-key casting carries the film along at an fairly even pace - the two leads' acting is sometimes no more than average. As new actors (in HK anyway), they carry no baggage from earlier roles and become fresh film subjects. Side characters are limited when the focus stays planted so squarely on the two leads but Chin Kar-lok really stands out as a triad boss, especially after his recent dud comedy roles. Unlike the rest of the film, his scenes remained memorable as I left the auditorium. And though the languorous pace grinds down to a near halt when the once-perky Fann Wong character turns boring on us and becomes 'normal', there's enough bits of humour and interest dotted through to carry the viewer for a reasonable 100 minutes.

Credits:

Written and Directed by Derek Yee
Starring Fann Wong and Peter Ho
Cameos by Chin Kar-lok, Simon Loui and Lilian Ho