What a Small World
Reviewed by YTSL
This 1989 offering from director-scriptwriter
Jaime Luk (who also puts in an on-screen appearance as the piece's main
villain's heavy) started off promisingly as well as cheerily enough with
some amusing scenes of the seemingly blissful domestic situation of Rosamund
Kwan and Lawrence Ng's married characters. Matters get less happy
but remain acceptable when the couple -- who go by the names of Michelle
and Franco Wong -- are shown at their shared place of work. However,
when plans were divulged for their going on a Parisian holiday, my heart
began to sink (and not just because the news of such brought about a quarrel
between the previously happy looking pair of lovebirds). This is
because my (previous) Hong Kong movie viewing experience has generally
taught me to be wary of films in which the protagonists go gallivanting
outside of East Asia.
The following are some of the things that happen
when this occurs, and definitely are faults that grate with regards to
WHAT A SMALL WORLD: Parts of the movie seem to have little purpose
other than to be an "I was (t)here" touristic documentation for those of
the movie's makers and stars who went on the foreign trip and for the cinematographer
-- Jingle Ma, in this case -- to have a field day filming a host of famous
scenic sights. Despite their supposedly being long term residents
(or even native born denizens) of environs where they constitute a cultural
minority, many of the production's ethnic Chinese characters don't act
and sound any different from Hong Kongers (presumably in large part because
they are played by Hong Kong actors imported for the occasion. E.g.,
Alex Fong has a supporting role in this effort as a London-based detective
inspector). The possibility is equally high that all the non-Hong
Kongers who one sees on screen -- including those with speaking parts --
are less professional actors than people who were plucked off the street
to appear in the consequently amateurish as well as shoddy feeling work.
Last but not least, coincidental occurrences are needed to abound in earnest
to connect the film's protagonists and move its thin and flimsy plot along.
The great bulk of WHAT A SMALL WORLD takes place
in Paris and London. The latter is where the justifiably miffed Michelle
ended up heading in a huff to -- after Franco got upset with her for trying
to spring a surprise trip on him (which he mistakenly thought would scupper
his efforts to rise to a position professionally commensurate to hers)
-- and finds an old flame (Cheung Chi Hung comes in the form of Ray Lui).
The former is where her husband went in pursuit of her but runs instead
into a childhood friend of his (Nina Lee is portrayed by Nina Li Chi).
Yes indeed re the world appearing to be very small, at least in movies
such as this. And it is entirely in keeping with this line of reasoning
that a fifth figure in the movie turns out to also have an integrating
as well as integral part to play in the lives of at least two of the film's
main quartet of individuals who end up getting acquainted with those they
previously weren't familiar by way of what amounts to a comedy of piled
on errors.
As luck would additionally have it, Brother Hung
happens to be the righteous -- he disapproves of drug dealing -- Triad
head honcho of London's Chinatown as well a guy Michelle left because she
felt he was too nice (to her). As for Nina: Besides being a
model and designer clothing attired fashion plate, she also is under the
patronage of a powerful and jealous Sugar Daddy. In the class and
type of movie that is WHAT A SMALL WORLD, the outcome is all too predictable
with regards to what happens to them -- and those close by -- when their
paths cross.
To put it mildly: WHAT A SMALL WORLD is
not particularly recommended viewing for those looking for intelligently
conceived, expertly put together and sophisticatedly presented stories
and works. What makes that which is a hodgepodge of romantic, comic,
dramatic and action bits just about palatable for me though was the fact
of its starring actresses and actors who possess some modicum of charisma
and/or are easy on the eye. Although I have seen Rosamund Kwan and
Ray Lui acting better and exhibiting greater screen presence elsewhere,
Nina Li Chi really does shine in this effort and almost single-handedly
saves the production. In fact, I can see some fans of the curvaceous
actress -- who primary role these days consists of being Mrs. Jet Li --
considering the movie to be worth a rental, and maybe even buying to keep,
on the basis of one scene which has a tight T-shirt -- but not stabilizing
bra -- wearing her very energetically wiping a window...
My rating for the film: 5.5
Reviewed by Brian
Ah, yes Nina Li. I have to stress even stronger
than YTSL does that if you are a Nina Li fan, this is a must have. Jingle
Ma may have his detractors as a director, but as a cinematographer this
guy knows how to photograph women. Nina and her delicious rose petal mouth
are a lovely sight at all times, but Ma brings it to full bloom (corny
I know) in this film. Watching this film is like delicately paging through
a Nina Li photo book. From the first glimpse of her in a large floppy hat
at a Parisian café to the last of her impishly getting into trouble
once again, she is a delight. Though she is surrounded by some fairly big
names - Rosamund, Lawrence Ng and Ray Lui, she just up and steals this
film right from under their noses and runs away with it. Two scenes in
particular - the before mentioned "wiping the window followed by the hanging
the picture scene" and one of her face going through a myriad expressions
of pleasure (shall we say) should make you a Nina Li fan if you aren't
already (well, guys that is).
Perhaps for that reason, I enjoyed this film a
bit more than YTSL did. The plot was serviceable and sweet - and there
is some nice chemistry between Ray and Nina. At any rate, whatever the
reason - Rosamund's big eyes may have had something to do with it as well
- I found this film fairly enjoyable if not particularly challenging.
My rating for this film: 6.5
