Gorgeous

Year:1999
Director:Vincent Kok Tak-Chiu
Cast:Jackie Chan, Shu Qi, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Emil Chow Wah-Kin, Richie Ren , Chan Chung-Yung, Elaine Kam Yin-Ling, Tats Lau Yi-Tat, Bradley James Allan, Ken Lo Wai-Kwong, Daniel Wu , Stephen Fung Tak-Lun, Cheung Tat-Ming, Lee Lik-Chee, Sandra Ng Kwun-Yu, Ken Wong Hap-Hei, Edmond So Chi-Wai, Mark Lui Chun-Tak, Stephen Chow Sing-Chi, Sam Lee Chan-Sam, Vincent Kok Tak-Chiu, Eric Kot Man-Fai, Law Kar-Ying, Annie Wu , Jo Koo, Maggie Cheung Ho-Yi, Tin Kai-Man, Asuka Higuchi, Sammy, Siu Yee
Description:
Superstar performers stretching in new directions seems to
be this year抯 trend. First we had Stephen Chow in King
of Comedy, where he took his loser characteristics turned
them into something more substantial and effective. Now Jackie
Chan has his turn. Gorgeous is definitely a departure.
This is a romantic comedy with action thrown in, sometimes
even awkwardly. It抯 still amusing and fun, but uneven and
stilted.
Shu Qi is Bu, a Taiwanese villager
who longs for romance and adventure. She抯 offered marriage
by longtime admirer Longyi , but a message in
a bottle catches her fancy. The message: 揇on抰 you know I抦
waiting for you?�That romantic platitude is enough to send
her packing in Hong Kong, where she searches for Albert, writer
of the mash note. Fortunately Albert is played by Tony Leung
Chiu-Wai. Unfortunately he抯 gay.
Bu nevertheless stays in HK, where
she chances upon another suitor. Wealthy recycling magnate
C.N. is an uncommitted player who抯 locked in
a wacky rivalry with childhood classmate L.W. .
Bu saves him from one of L.W.抯 schemes, and is immediately
smitten. Then in one of those plot twists that only happen
in the movies, Bu schemes to win his heart by devising an
elaborate charade where she masquerades as a Taiwanese gangster抯
moll. What follows is the typical sappy romance montage which
tries us for everything we抮e worth. Ultimately C.N. ends
up realizing Bu抯 value and must chase her lest he regret
it.
Oh, and there抯 some fighting thrown
in. Said fighting is of the usual Jackie Chan variety: fun,
with inventive choreography and pacing. But it抯 only a window
dressing to the film. Gorgeous is is really a love
story and a questionably affecting one at that. Vincent Kok
is an excellent director, but his films have typically had
a finer comic edge. This film relies far too much on the charisma
of its stars to carry it, and despite his wonderful persona
Chan is ultimately not much of an actor. He can say the lines
but he can抰 bring anything new to this genre other than the
fight sequences, which aren抰 even the main point of the movie.
In fact, Gorgeous is practically
a deconstruction of Chan抯 usual films. For once, Jackie抯
enemy isn抰 an evil foe or dastardly organization - it抯 himself.
One of the more subtle joys of the film is a clever theme
reversal . Still, I抎 have
to say that The King of Comedy is better because it
hits the dizzying heights that HK Cinema is renowned for.
Stephen Chow manages to use his talents to show unexpected
depths, while Jackie Chan reveals the fact that he can抰 do
much more than he already has. Gorgeous merely puts
Jackie in a film in which you wouldn抰 expect to see him -
and that抯 that.
Thankfully, the other actors prove
entertaining. Shu Qi mugs and pouts her way through a serviceably
fun performance, while Tony Leung manages to steal nearly
all his scenes. The multitudes of big-name cameos are fun
too, especially the one by HK抯 other big superstar. As fluffy
Lunar New Year fun, Gorgeous more than suffices.