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Cast:
Richie
Ren
Cecilia
Cheung
William
So
Eric
Tsang
Eric
Kot
Sheren
Tang
Producer:
Chan
Shek Hong
Raymond
Chow
Director:
Jingle
Ma
Score:
 
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FLY
ME TO POLARIS
AKA:
N/A
Year:
1999 Reviewer: Andrew
Saroch
Cecilia
Cheung remains one of Hong Kong's most popular actresses,
combining an ageless charm with proven box-office clout.
Alongside Chow Sing Chi's 'King
Of Comedy', 'Fly Me To Polaris' is one of her earlier
films that fully lodged her name in the minds of audiences and
helped her ascend to the apex of the pecking order. It's no
surprise that this shamelessly sentimental romantic drama
remains one of her most popular films, even proving a
significant hit in other Asian countries.
Onion
(Ren) is a resident at a home for those with special needs
but, despite being blind and mute, doesn't allow his
disabilities to hinder his enjoyment of life. Key to this is
his close friendship with nurse Autumn (Cheung) who visits him
daily and benefits from the inspiration that Onion provides.
It is inevitable, though, that this friendship should turn
into love and Onion is utterly devoted to his beautiful friend
and plans to reveal his true feelings to her. Tragically,
Onion is killed in a terrible accident and Autumn is left
distraught, especially because her own feelings are beginning
to be clarified. A freak coincidence gives Onion a remarkable
chance to return to Earth, though, and he is allowed to spend
a short period of time there free from his former ailments.
However, there is a significant flaw in this otherwise
wonderful opportunity: although he will look exactly the same,
nobody will recognise him and he will be physically unable to
tell anyone who he really is. On his return he immediately
tries to spend time with Autumn, though his new identity does
make this increasingly difficult. Onion also succumbs to the
urge of telling Autumn who he really is, but finds that he is
indeed incapable of doing. Nonetheless, his attempts to win
the heart of the woman he loves under his new persona
continues and those around him, particularly old friend
Jumboball (Tsang), begin to notice something very familiar
about this newcomer. As time runs out for Onion's brief
return, Autumn gradually realises that the man she loved is
the unusual stranger before her and that she must try to piece
together the evidence that is there.
'Fly
Me To Polaris' makes no excuses for its obvious emotional
machinations and a storyline clearly designed to tug at the
heart-strings. Nonetheless, however clear its intentions are,
it manages to succeed with aplomb and turns the contrived into
the magical. Therefore, what so easily could have been a
series of clichés held together by its appealing stars proves
to have enough style and substance to move even the hardest of
hearts. It's success is perhaps due to the genuine warmth of
the cast; the leading pair are excellent as the tragic lovers,
but the supporting cast is also filled with actors
effortlessly playing sympathetic characters. Director Jingle
Ma - for years a noted cinematographer - uses his past
experience to create some memorable visual potency and conjure
up a moving atmosphere that cuts through the inherent
weaknesses of the film.
The
nature of this commercial hit and its intentions to target the
emotions of its viewers means that it doesn't aspire to be
high-brow art or a significant work of cinema. Critics have
pointed to this as a weakness and some may argue that it's
nods to Hollywood classic like 'A Matter Of Life And Death'
are transparent to say the least. 'Fly Me To Polaris' has
enough merits to shrug off these criticisms though and is a
stark reminder of what is lacking from much of today's cinema
- a film that is genuinely moving. With such modest objectives
and a true power that reaches beyond its closing frames, this
is a superior romantic movie that earns a strong
recommendation for those prepared to shed a tear or two.
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