Time 4 Hope (2002)

For Time 4 Hope, scriptwriter Yuen Kai-chi has penned an autobiographical story based on his life since he fell asleep at the wheel after the heights of his Best Screenplay win at the Hong Kong Film Awards for A Chinese Ghost Story.

With names unchanged in the script Nick Cheung takes on the role of Chi, kicking off the film with scenes of his playboy lifestyle up to the moment a car crash lands him in Intensive Care. Working in the ward is Ching (Athena Chu), who listens in on Chi's friends and wife while he remains in a coma and is diagnosed with a clot in his brain. After Chi comes to, Ching offers an ear to his storytelling and a relationship starts when he leaves the hospital.

Under Derek Chiu's direction the couple's story comes across as a comfortably small-scale and intimate affair, focusing on what's referred to in the close of the film as the "process" of Chi and Cindy's often difficult relationship rather than building towards any strong conclusion. While focusing on the lows Chi reached, the production at times appears to be the writer's personal tribute to Ching -- a recurring Bryan Ferry tune helps boost that impression -- and to the late Barry Wong in scenes that aren't laboured. The film's message is as upbeat as the title suggests, trumpeting support and tolerance and, not unlike Raymond To's Forever and Ever does in regard to AIDS sufferers, tackles public attitudes to the physically disabled. More background on Cindy being initially drawn to Chi as her first lover would have been welcome, however, since viewers are only offered a few scenes of her listening to his friends and reading the press. For such an intriguing aspect of the story, more information would have provided welcome support for viewers. Time 4 Hope's scriptwriting angle should provide added interest to film buffs, notably in a flashback to Chi hatching plans for A Chinese Ghost Story with an action director (Stephen Tung Wai).

Production work is pleasing on the eye, making use of smooth transitions between timeframes and handy chapter screens with bilingual notes. Location work is appealing in documenting the characters' backgrounds and where they ultimately end up in the riches to rags tale; even after leaving a luxurious waterfront home behind, Chi once again shares a sea view with Ching in a public housing unit at Wah Fu. Nick Cheung is impressive in his lead role as Chi, injecting light humour subtly in his strongest dramatic role yet. Athena Chu offers fine support to Cheung on screen and is filmed attractively in the surrounds. Helena Law, Lau Sek-yin and Stephanie Che prove nice additions to the list of players and ably round out Time 4 Hope's warming cinema experience.

Credits:

Directed by Derek Chiu Sung-kei
Produced by Gordon Chan
Screenplay by Yuen Kai-chi
Nick Cheung, Athena Chu, Helena Law, Lau Sek-yin and Stephanie Che