Till Death Do Us Part
Men are scum. Completely. This is the message that this film knocks you over the head with for nearly 90-minutes. And fairly effectively. I felt like I should be tied to a tree and horsewhipped.

In many ways this is a beautifully produced and directed film with a terrific acting performance from Anita Yuen (for which she received a HK Film nomination) that will singe your heart. But eventually the story gets so overwrought and melodramatic that I lost patience with it and with Anita’s character.

Her life revolves completely around her husband, Alex Fong, and her little girl. This is all she wants. This is all she needs. Total fulfillment. During the opening credits, we get quick snapshots of their courtship, marriage and the birth of their baby. As the film opens, Anita is reading her girl a fairy tale of the Prince and the Mermaid. She feels like her own life is a fairy tale as well.

 So when Alex comes home on his birthday and tells her that he is leaving her for another woman, she is devastated. As are we. How could anyone leave sweet Anita Yuen. That is until we see the other woman. Almen Wong. Ok see ya. With her dyed blonde hair and magnificent physique she looks like a million bucks in the bank. Alex is still scum, but scum with damn good taste!

Anita begins to disintegrate before our eyes and it is truly painful to watch. Anita does a wonderful job of making it all seem very real. At the same time though, I started getting a little annoyed with her and just wanted to shake her and tell her to get on with her life. Easier said than done, as we all know. The character of the husband is a weak link here. He is this tough cop, but in his personal life he stands meekly by as things dangerously unravel. It didn’t make any sense and was just more ammo being used against the male species.
the scum sucking husband
Some wonderfully beautiful images overlaid with an excellent soundtrack make this film a pleasure for the senses. But the story hurts.
Francis Ng also gives a very nice modulated performance as Anita’s lawyer.
Francis Ng