|
Cast:
Cecilia
Cheung
Lau
Ching Wan
Harashima
Daichi
Pau
Hei Ching
Louis
Koo
Paul
Chun Pui
Edmond
So
Producer:
Henry
Fong Ping
Director:
Derek
Yee
Score:
 
|
LOST
IN TIME
AKA:
N/A
Year:
2003 Reviewer: Andrew
Saroch
When
'Lost In Time' was announced, I'm sure I wasn't the only
person who was eagerly awaiting Derek Yee's return as a
director. Yee has never been prolific as a director, but has
gained a reputation as one of the most important film-makers
still in Hong Kong. Brave directorial work on masterpieces
like 'The
Lunatics' and 'People's
Hero', not to mention the box-office smashes 'C'est
La Vie Mon Cherie' and 'Full Throttle', have all been
stamped with Yee's indelible mark of quality. It was
therefore with great interest that I sat down to Yee's latest
offering.
After
her fiancée is tragically killed one night in a road
accident, Holly (Cheung) finds her happy life descend into
misery. Though she vows to look after her adopted son, she
finds that the lack of support she receives from her
inconsiderate family begins to take its toll. Despite her
feelings of loneliness, Holly decides to have her fiancée's
wrecked minibus repaired and bravely thinks about earning a
living from it. Though the fellow drivers are initially
sympathetic to her plight, they find her decision to enter the
cut-throat and gruelling world of minibus driving to be a
foolhardy one. Holly perseveres with her ideal even though her
first few outings in the minibus prove to be unprofitable and,
more pertinently, dangerous. Coming to her rescue is colleague
Hale (Lau China Wan) who feels a responsibility because of his
friendship with her late boyfriend. Taking time off from his
own work, Hale teaches her how to turn her route into a
financially feasible one while also managing to strike up a
friendship with the son. Gradually though, Hale's feelings
begin to turn from admiration for Holly to attraction and
finds some solace to take his mind off his own loneliness.
Nonetheless, some difficult situations arise for both Hale and
Holly before they can decide on their future.
As
with the exceptional 'The
Floating Landscape', 'Lost In Time' attempts to tackle the
subject of grief without falling into the trappings of
melodrama. Once again though, a Hong Kong film succeeds in
conveying emotion and resonance without dialogue always being
necessary. Obviously many excellent productions have chosen to
portray the heartbreak of losing a husband or wife with
emotional fireworks, but the treatment that Derek Yee (and
Carol Lai) gives the issue is equally poignant. After a
relatively long absence from the screen, it is comforting to
report that Derek Yee has retained his ability to craft his
vision in such a way that bridges the gulf between traditional
arthouse cinema and mainstream expectations.
Though
'Lost In Time' opens as study of grief, it advances as a
portrait of hope and the value of friendship. The character of
Holly is subtly drawn, starting off as a young woman who is
understandably lost in the tragedy and sudden pressures that
her loss creates, but as the film progresses her basic
gumption is highlighted. Hale is also developed in such a way
as to leave questions unanswered until the end; the sudden
revelations about his own loneliness manage to fill in any of
the blanks and give the character an even greater degree of
pathos. With characterisation so strongly emphasised in the
film, it's encouraging to see that both of the pivotal figures
are empathetic enough to make Derek Yee's goal successful.
While
'Lost In Time' doesn't quite compensate its intentionally
slow, measured pace with the kind of visual potency that Carol
Lai achieved with 'The Floating Landscape', there can be no
doubt that the calibre of the acting more than makes up for
any shortcomings. Cecilia Cheung has been derided in some
quarters for past films, unfairly seen as eye candy and little
else. Recent years have finally seen the actress gain the
respect of audiences and her performance in 'Lost In Time'
will undoubtedly convert many of her existing detractors.
Though her performance is mostly understated, it is
consistently strong; it initially seems as though such a
relatively young performer has bitten off more than she can
chew with the character of Holly, but Cheung emerges
triumphant. Cecilia is expertly supported by the peerless Lau
Ching Wan, an actor who very rarely disappoints. Providing
able support is Paul Chun Pui who, even in his small role as
Holly's father, is superb.
'Lost
In Time' is a different film to 'The Floating Landscape' and
has different targets. While I would still say that the latter
was a more effective film, 'Lost In Time' still gains merits
for its solid production values and wide-ranging qualities.
Its deliberate pace may not sound appealing, but it is a
highly recommended return for film-maker Derek Yee. Let's hope
we don't have to wait another four years for his next work.
|
