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Cast:
Poon
Chan Leung
Flora
Chan
Andrew
Lin
Annie
Wu
Ko
Hon Man
Producer:
Clifton
Ko
Director:
Derek
Chiu
Score:
 
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LOVE
AU ZEN
AKA:
N/A
Year:
2001 Reviewer: Andrew
Saroch
After
delivering a unsung gem of a film in last year's 'Comeuppance',
Derek Chiu concentrated on the screen adaptation of the
successful stage play 'Love And Zen'. With Chiu's unique skill
of creating something special from something familiar, all
seemed to point to another production to further enhance his
reputation.
Shortly
before his wedding day, Sau (Poon Chan Leung) mysteriously
disappears, leaving his girlfriend Jing (Chan) totally
confused as to the reasons. Instead of getting too caught up
in her own emotions, Jing concentrates on helping her best
friend Mila during her up coming marriage to director Chang.
Unfortunately though, Chang has chosen Sau as his best man and
also has little idea as to where he is. All three persons and
their respective guests are left in complete astonishment when
Sau does indeed turn up to his friend's wedding...dressed in
the garb of a Buddhist monk. The reasons behind his sudden
reappearance as a Buddhist monk is hardly given time to be
explained as moments later Mila and Chang have a furious
argument at the altar that halts their expected wedding. In an
attempt to understand what has happened and where to go from
there, Chang follows Sau to his Buddhist retreat. Enjoying the
seclusion and pithy statements of their master, both men seem
to adapt well to the life of self-reflection. However, shortly
after arriving, the two are joined by their respective
partners who have followed in a bid to understand why they've
been deserted. The peaceful environment has a remarkable
effect on both couples as they come to understand their
relationship and their true feelings. Whereas Sau yearns for
enlightenment, Jing looks for the meaning of love and the
answers to her questions. By the end of this stay, each person
understands more about themselves and certainly more about
those they love.
As
was the case with 'Comeuppance', much of the charm of this
superb picture is very hard to explain. One thing is very
obvious though: Derek Chiu has created a style that remains
very much his own. This style seems to increase with every
film and so there is eager anticipation over his next project.
The first merit that is becoming a trademark of Chiu's
directorial stamp is the calm pacing of the film; this
measured narrative advancement is the sign of a cinematic
craftsman who is totally in control of his vision. As with 'Sealed
With A Kiss', 'Love Au Zen' avoids any histrionics yet
remains totally absorbing and utterly compelling. The fact
that this was originally a stage piece is revealed in the
excellent screenplay which concentrates on fleshing out each
character in a very believable way. Aiding this important
creative cog is the matchless cast who breathe life into each
of the roles. Even the often maligned Andrew Lin manages to
give a career-best performance; critics have undoubtedly been
surprised at how well Lin handled his role and just what
ability he really has.
'Love
Au Zen' barely made a ripple at the local box-office and, on
reading the basic synopsis, this may not be too hard to
understand. What viewers need to do though is look beneath the
surface of this minor classic. The idea of an introspective
love story may not sound too appealing, but this is the kind
of film that truly rewards the patient viewer. It ranks as one
of the wittiest, most intelligently written and expertly
delivered Hong Kong features of recent years. Highly
recommended viewing.
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