Mei shao nian zhi lian

I managed to buy this DVD when I was based in HK in the late 90's, a time of my Life I loved and will never forget. The movie is based on a true story, partly, when a society playboy DID take numerous photographs of serving, young Police Officers, many of whom worked in the Happy Valley Police Station on HK Island ; I read the Press reports in 1995, and I had a flat a stone's throw from this police Stn. I recognised, indeed frequented many of the bars and cafes featured in the film, and met Terence Yin (KS in the film) in Staunton's Bar in Central on HK Island, and he kindly scribbled his autograph for me in 2001. The street Life of the Territory is lovingly filmed by the director, Yonfan, (whom I saw often in HK) and choice of actors ideal, excepting the cameo role by the Western film critic. Daniel Wu does well in his role of Sam, showing his unhappiness when required and his young modesty and loyalty to Jet(Stephen Fung, rumoured in the 90's to be bisexual in HK) when he felt he should be, but Jet was immature and realised too late he did love Sam and was for a time loved in return. It accurately portrays gay life in HK pre-Handover and the background music is haunting. This film will forever be for me my memento of my happy years in HK and the many friends I knew then, and may well be others who are gay and were based in the former Colony. Finally, in some ways it is a film about a lost love and a missed opportunity for a deep and lasting love over fleeting sexual encounters and the superficiality of many gay/bi relationships. Come the end of the film, I really was choked up. The subtitles are well enough done and not the distraction referred to by another reviewer here ; definitely buy this DVD for a romantic film, in a romantic city setting, and a period of Time now gone.

The look of the film is glossy and polished as are the stars of the film. The story unfolds and follows the life of a young Hong Kong police officer as he gets involved with another young and cute guy. The ending line in the story is quite profound regarding love; knowing that you have found it, but not knowing where it will lead you. This is one I would like in my DVD collection.

Straight model actors are certainly far removed from the typical gay man. I found as did many the actors to be beautiful, but that was the main attraction for the film. I found the substance of the film to be disappointing. Any character who was not beautiful was generally portrayed as one who prayed on those who were. A gay film that represents the diversity of gay people would have been much more to my liking.

I really don't understand how this movie is a failure. The story is well-organized, the music is awesome and the castings are good-looking. The story focuses on Jet's love-life in particular and gay world in general thru 4 main characters, Jet, Sam, Ah Ching and K.S, who are all connected with each other somehow. The message from the movie just could be perceived that the love between people of the same sex is just as strong and fervent as normal male and female love, or maybe even stronger. The movie just wants to tell us about a homosexual love, to show us what lays beneath the seemingly disgusting caresses and kisses between two men are true feelings from every beat of their hearts. But they can not be free to live with their true feelings because of social prejudice against gay and duties with their family. The contradictions in their minds could not be easily justified so gay-themed movies usually have an unhappy ending with one of the two seeking for death as a solution, an escape. Moreover, the movie also portrays a dark rubbish world of hustlers with extreme disgrace and even pain in their hearts and bodies. If you view this movie with your ready bias against gay people or just attach too much importance to some of its trivial things, then you could definitely not perceive its message. No matter what criticism it may receive, I really think this movie could touch hearts.

This movie isn't easy to understand because it's a FLASHBACK type-movie. I had to watch it three times before I understand the story completely. This movie totally impressed me. Before watching the movie, I hesitated very much to watch it. Partly because I feel disgusted by the 'gay' 'lesbian' stuff... But after I watched it, I changed my mind and my way of thinking. That movie really helped me understand gay people's life, that there can be true love between boys, that it's not easy for gay people to accept themselves as being gay, and most of all, how to face their family and parents. This movie is absolutely amazing. It's a very very sweet love story, and a very touching drama. The ending is so sad that it rip off my heart. Anyway, I NOW accept homosexual people as Humans, not more as Aliens (like I did before)...