Why Me?
Fat Cat: Kent Cheng
Koko: Olivia Cheng
Mr. Chow: Chow Yun-Fat
Kong: Paul Chu Kong
IMDb link: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0089259
other links:
Version reviewed: DVD
Ratings:
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DVD Audio: 8 of 10
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DVD Video: 8 of 10
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Subtitles: 7 of 10
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Story: 5 of 10
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Performances: 7 of 10
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CYF: 5 of 10
Chow Yun-Fat plays only a small role in this disjointed comedy/drama about a mentally
retarded man and the social worker who tries to help him.
This is not a film to cheer you up. Kent Cheng won a Hong Kong Film Award as
Best Actor for his performance as Fat Cat, a mentally retarded man living in
poverty with his widowed mother. Olivia Cheng portrays the social worker on
her first case who is put through the wringer trying to believe in a system which
is failing all around her. While she has the best of intentions, her efforts seem
doomed to fail, as she has to fight both the staggering caseload of the system,
the ignorance of the villagers who both fear and torment Fat Cat, and the
apathy of her boss/boyfriend (a small role played by Chow Yun-Fat).
Even though there are comedic touches, the dual storylines of the genial
retarded man suffering at the hands of the government and local punks
coupled with the social worker's irresponsible bum of a father (played briefly but
poignantly by Paul Chu Kong) being a burden to everyone around him is almost
unbearable. While one can assume that the low comedy was added for relief
from the tragedy unfolding (such scenes as Chow Yun-Fat suffering from, shall
we say, "unrelieved needs" after an interrupted rendezvous with his girlfriend) it
does not meld well with the other elements of the film; these scenes and the
strange inclusion of Eric Tsang and his intentionally bad
jokes were perhaps spliced in as an afterthought. It's a disturbing shift
from the anguish of the main storyline, and doesn't offer comic relief as
much as merely seems puzzling and at times downright crass.
Watching this film is almost a struggle, as it brings home all too
clearly the misfortunes of the characters and their pain. Having said that, to see
Kent Cheng act in this film, no matter how depressing, is a wonder. The
mother's deathbed scene is an exquisite portrayal that in unashamedly of
the tear-jerking variety.
Those who are only looking to see Chow Yun-Fat may want to give this one a
miss, but if you have the heart (and stomach), watch it for Kent Cheng's
incredible talents. Unfortunately along with the misguided joking interludes
a very bizarre ending was tacked onto the film; while it was probably meant
to be uplifting, for me at least it was rather tragic, as if the entire tale
was about to begin again and the suffering re-created with yet another unfortunate
victim of fate and society. A great central performance, but a depressing and unbalanced
film.
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