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Cast:
Do
Do Cheng
Tony
Leung Kar Fei
Alfred
Cheung
Action:
Chin
Kar Lok
Producer:
Chan
Pui Wah
Director:
Alfred
Cheung
Score:
 
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HER
FATAL WAYS
AKA:
My Dear Sister-in-Law
Year:
1990 Reviewer: Andrew
Saroch
Sister
Cheng (Do Do Cheng) is a hard-working and ultra-patriotic
Mainland Chinese Security Officer who is given the task of
taking a wanted criminal back to Hong Kong. Alongside her in
this straight-forward assignment is her dim-witted nephew who
boasts supposed supernatural powers and offers a degree of
assistance. On arriving in Capitalist Hong Kong, Sister Cheng
is immediately on the tearing apart this liberal and, in her
mind, spoilt society. This antagonistic attitude means that
she makes no friends among the Hong Kong police force and
creates friction with the case's investigator (Tony Leung Kar
Fei). To the surprise of both sides though, the prisoner
manages to escape and flee from custody, leaving egg on the
faces of Hong Kong's finest. Sister Cheng is told that the
event must be successfully resolved before she can return to
China - leading to the inevitable joint-investigation that
both sides dread. As the case continues so does the general
ill feeling between the two new partners who view their work
in very different ways. This animosity gradually turns to a
begrudging admiration for each other's contrasting ways as the
trail of the escaped convict becomes ever clearer.
Widely
seen as Do Do Cheng's finest hour, 'Her Fatal Ways' manages to
combine a number of qualities to create a very satisfying
experience. The stand-out aspect of this is probably the
superlative performance of the aforementioned Do Do Cheng who
succeeds in making Sister Cheng by turns annoying, heroic and
vulnerable. All of these characteristics mean that the central
persona is engaging and very believable even during the more
over-the-top moments. Cheng rightfully earned the Best Actress
award at the 1990 Hong Kong film awards for this achievement.
'Her Fatal Ways' is also fruitful taken solely as a comedy
about difference and the needed for compromise; there are a
few hilarious moments and endless other amusing ones that make
sure the film hits it's intended targets. Even the minimal
action is surprisingly effective with a couple of nicely
directed set-pieces highlighting this. The production isn't a
total triumph though and there are certainly faults that take
the shine of the finished piece. Foremost among these is the
sometimes repetitive nature of the pacing, something which
becomes apparent after the villain evades escape more than
once. The humour, although mostly well-polished, does occasionally
slip into certain over-the-top moments that are simply
unnecessary. These are not major flaws, but they do prevent
the film from the possible excellence it very nearly reaches.
Nonetheless, 'Her Fatal Ways' is a strong recommendation for
fans of Hong Kong comedy and even those new to the genre.
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