Cheng chong chui lui chai

Oddly enough, it is not before 2019 that I get to sit down and watch the 1987 romantic comedy "The Romancing Star" (aka "Cheng chong chui lui chai") from Hong Kong, as I am a huge fan of Maggie Cheung.

I wanted to like this movie, I really did. But it would be lying if I said that this movie was great. Because it wasn't. Don't get me wrong, it is not a bad movie either. It was just, uhm, well, let's just say generic and mediocre. The storyline wasn't particularly outstanding or memorable, and the movie just trotted on in a very monotonous pacing.

Despite the fact that the movie had a very impressive cast, which includes the likes of Maggie Cheung, Yun-Fat Chow, Eric Tsang and Philip Chan. I mean, these are some very outstanding Hong Kong actors and actresses, but they just had very little to work with here from writer and director Jing Wong. And "The Romancing Star" is by no means a shining gem in the careers of aforementioned performers.

I managed to sit through the entire movie, although I can't really claim to have been very entertained, and at times my attention did drift away from the movie and ended up with my phone in my hands.

For a romantic comedy, then "The Romancing Star" wasn't particularly impressive, and there are far better movies readily available in this genre from the Hong Kong cinema.

I am rating "The Romancing Star" five out of ten stars. And now that I have finally gotten around to watching it, I can honestly say that I will not be putting the disc into my media center a second time.

Short, fast paced, funny as you will expect a hong kong flick from the 80's and 90's. It may not be a masterpiece but it has its moments. Good Slapstick comedy enough to give you a good time and genuine giggles, at last of which you will say yourself that time well spent.

Actor Chow Yun Fat plays Wong Yat Fat, a mechanic who falls in love with beautiful rich girl, Tung (played by Maggie Cheung). When Wong finds out his friend also like her, he must fight for Tung's attention.

This film is full of laugh out loud humor and a pretty savvy romantic subplot as well. All sorts of other highly acclaimed Hong Kong actors appear including Eric Tsang, Stanley Fung, Chan Pak Cheung, Philip Chan, Wong Jing and Sharla Cheung. Check it out!

Grade B

While Chow Yun Fat was basking in the success of the BETTER TOMORROW films, he shot this quickie romantic comedy for director Wong Jing. The film is a typical Hong Kong comedy of the era, starring a number of familiar faces during their usual shtick; how much you enjoy this will depend on how much you enjoy Chinese comedy with its occasional infantile, surrealist edge. Certainly a lot of the jokes and gags here are very local and may be missed by foreign viewers. Still, there's no denying the combined wattage of Chan, Fung and Tsang, and even Maggie Cheung isn't too annoying (for a change), so it's all lightweight fun.