Anita

Let's cut to the chase: Anita is the first Chinese-language biopic I've ever watched in a theater, and it's genuinely moving-though it's hard to tell whether its brilliance comes from the storytelling itself or the sheer magnetism of Anita Mui's legendary life. With most foreign biopics, I can usually dissect them calmly, analyzing performances and pacing with detached objectivity. But Anita caught me off guard. For the first time, I sat in a cinema and watched strangers around me wipe away tears, completely disarmed by raw, unguarded emotion. In one haunting scene, as the woman beside me quietly dabbed her eyes, the screen showed Anita Mui in her iconic final concert, belting out a song that felt like a farewell to her fans and life itself. That moment-where reality and cinema blurred-was pure magic.

The film's greatest strength lies in its refusal to sensationalize or deify its subject. Unlike many biopics that either elevate their heroes to sainthood or twist their flaws into drama, Anita opts for a grounded, almost humble approach. It doesn't shy away from her struggles-loneliness, health battles, the weight of fame-but it also doesn't milk them for cheap tears. Instead, it lets her humanity speak for itself. Sure, the pacing drags at times, and some chapters of her life feel glossed over. But the film's simplicity and honesty make it resonate deeply. You're not watching a polished myth; you're seeing a woman who lived fiercely, loved recklessly, and left too soon.

That said, the movie isn't flawless. The supporting characters often feel underdeveloped, and the script leans heavily on nostalgia (cue the montages of '80s Hong Kong). Yet, even with these hiccups, Anita works because it channels the essence of its star: unapologetically real, fiercely passionate, and utterly unforgettable. By the end, you're not just mourning Anita Mui-you're mourning the fact that we'll never see another like her.

To see from the very beginning, as Anita started off as a little girl singing with her sister, as she blossomed into so much more, going through much of life's hardship, it really is very touching. Though I have not heard of her before watching this film (as someone born from the 2000s), it really did inspire me to read up more on this iconic figure. With clippings of the original Anita interwoven throughout the film, it makes the film seem all the more real, all the more raw, as you see actual footage of the events that had occurred, hardships she had to endure. It was just stunning. Furthermore, despite the fact that many of the actresses and actors are acting for the first time, it really did not look that way. While it was not superb by any means, it was on point and not lackluster. Overall, it is a great film based on a true story, bringing a fallen angel back to the spotlight.

Out of respect to Anita Mui, I watch the movie. It has not let me down. The casting is excellent. The costume and setting is good. It brings along the memory of the good old days when Anita and Leslie are alive.

I wonder if any producer would make a film on Leslie Cheung? I would be the first to watch it.

If you don't know her, this is still a great story. Having lived in HK for half a year and being a fan of Chinese music, I had heard a bit about her. If you know nothing this is still a great movie and true story.

Of course, there is an undercurrent to the story which a foreigner will not get about her but it is still an incredible movie experience. For example, there is a simple scene where she, now being rich and famous, is interviewed and asked if she will stay in Hong Kong after 1997. She proudly says "Yes, I will stay in Hong Kong". This was the year that Hong Kong was handed back over to China from being a British colony and there was a lot of fear at that time that the mainland government would be heavy handed with locals and take away their western freedoms. This turned out to not be the case but many people left HK at that time and she proudly stayed. This is not explained in the movie, you'd have to know the history of HK. But these few blips would take nothing away from this film if you didn't.

If anything, the true story of her life is even more incredible than this story, a wonderful film.

Those who gave it a score of 10 or 1 are rather strange.

I find the movie disappointing and rather overhyped or overrated from HK. The whole movie suffered from a poor script or editing, the trailer is far better.

Too much of real events are deliberately left out probably not to tarnish her image and to appeal to the government and her fans. Her fame as both an actress and singer wasn't felt in the movie and most hit songs at the peak of her career wasn't mentioned at all. Her mum and brother was totally left out, Leslie Cheung's success wasn't mentioned at all making him looked like an unsuccessful artist until after his death, her "slapped" scene by a gangster was shown but what followed all changed, the guy got killed wasn't mentioned at all. We can't feel or see Anita's character and spirit from the movie, can't really understand why in some scenes she felt unhappy or stressed. The best scene in the movie is when she and Leslie film "Rogue", very creative and some HK outdoor scenes of the 80s look realistic. Some said there will be a director's cut of 4 hours, hopefully it will rectify all the shortcomings.