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Cast:
Anthony
Chan
Sandra
Ng
Carrie
Ng
Michael
Chow
Alfred
Cheung
Jamie
Luk
Wu
Fung
Kenneth
Tsang
Action:
Gwok
Siu Keung
Producer:
Anthony
Chan
Director:
Andy
Chin
Score:
  
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CHANGING
PARTNER
AKA:
Changing Partners
Year:
1992 Reviewer: Andrew
Saroch
As
with 'Coup
De Grace' which I reviewed a few months ago, 'Changing
Partner' is another Hong Kong action comedy that takes
unpromising material and turns it into a very enjoyable
feature film. Although the 'odd-couple love story' isn't
exactly revolutionary, 'Changing Partner' is another pleasant
surprise.
Police
officer Yu's (Chan) day gets off to a bad start when his
girlfriend leaves him and then goes rapidly downhill from
there. Not only does he come to blows with his brutish female
colleague Lin (Ng) but he's also then told that the pair must
pose as a married couple to trap a killer. Obviously, both
parties are furious, but, commanded by their superior (Tsang),
they agree to the plan and are adamant that they will continue
to hate each other despite the remarkable effects that the
operation has had on previous police officers. Lin's slobbish
ways immediately aggravate heartbroken Yu though her own
bravado is shattered when her own love life takes a nose dive.
Despite their mutual loathing, Yu and Lin begin to rely on one
another and, as Lin sees the love her colleague has for his
neglected grandmother, warms to him. The gradual thawing of
their relationship is suddenly interrupted when Yu's
girlfriend returns seeking a reconciliation. Not only does his
ruin the potential love between Yu and Lin, but it also begins
to disrupt the stakeout operation.
'Changing
Partner' is a film that uses the strengths of its
excellent cast superbly. Anthony Chan, forever the put-upon
buffoon, is a perfect example of how the confident delivery of
material can lift a production from the ordinary. His timing
and interplay with his co-stars stands out as one of the main
reasons why the audience can not only believe in the
storyline, but also care about the characters. His task is
made much easier by another outstanding example of Sandra Ng's
talents as an actress, but also as an all round performer. In
the few serious, romantic moments, Ng's comic mask slips and
we get the opportunity to see how varied her thespian skills
are. With such a capable pairing, half the film's battle is
won.
In
classic Hong Kong style, the murder/mystery narrative is
side-stepped shortly after it begins and the sit-com set-up
comes to the foreground. While this often infuriates casual
viewers to Hong Kong's unique style, when it is done well most
of us hardly notice these inconsistencies. 'Changing Partner'
is certainly a production that does suffer under close
scrutiny as the problematic mixture of genres is evident in
the few mishandled moments. Despite this, 'Changing Partner'
has enough moments of genuine amusement to help paper over the
cracks. It is, in essence, a romantic comedy that succeeds
where so many better known productions fail. 3 1/2 stars, but
perhaps edging closer to 4 the more I think about how well it
delivered on its modest promises.
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