Wu ming zhi bei

A Cool Fish is an action-comedy movie with a dramatic twist. It tells several different stories that are all linked. We follow two friends and thugs who want to rob a bank but end up taking cell phone models from a cheap store and hide in the apartment of a suicidal woman in a wheelchair. The brother of said woman is a security guard and former police officer who now works for a businessman who betrayed his own clients and the security guard tries to retrieve a gun that was stolen from him. His former colleagues don't care about the gun however and are busy chasing the two thieves. The security officer's daughter is friends with the businessman's son who tries to clear his father's name. His father's clients and partners organize daily funerals in the city to put pressure on the businessman who has fled the city with his emotive girlfriend. All these characters will end up at the same spot for an explosive showdown.

Does the plot sound confusing to you? It actually is and that is one of the few flaws of the film. It includes too many characters, locations and side stories. Some elements of the plot are also quite hard to believe. Another flaw is the dragging ending that certainly overstays its welcome. This film would be much more efficient if it were fifteen minutes shorter.

Apart of the stretched ending, A Cool Fish is a dynamic, entertaining and funny movie. The action scenes have hilarious slapstick elements. The dialogues often have dark and dry humour. The actresses and actors are rather convincing with the suicidal woman in the wheelchair being the greatest of them all.

If you are looking for an entertaining action-comedy movie with a few profound touches towards the end, you will certainly enjoy this dynamic film. It's not a particularly memorable movie but an enthusiastic one that is best enjoyed at your local cinema with a few friends. It's certainly more creative, vivid and surprising than another Hollywood reboot of an old action-comedy franchise.

Taking photo for the girl is abrupt,the director didn't handle well.

Beneath the surface of absurd comedy, film is the bitter core. The little people who are struggling at the bottom of society are crushed by fate, their hopes and dignity broken, their inner desires crumpled and discarded at will. In this gray world, the heart's desire is insignificant. Unknown men who live in the depths of the ocean struggle to swim to the light of the sea.

"A Cool Fish" is the tale of two would-be criminals and an ex-cop trying to prove themselves in order to change their unfortunate lots in life with no idea how interconnected the lives of everyone they know have become. With the exception of a single dumb gag near the beginning, the rest of the movie treats the audience respectfully using believable and relatable characters who find themselves in both touching and humorous situations, ultimately leading to a refreshingly unpredictable ending. A bonus "what happened next" during the credits gives a sense of conclusion for anyone who prefer stories which end a bit more definitively.

This film stands out as one of the rare Chinese dark comedies featuring a remarkably well-cast ensemble. While it could be categorized into several genres such as drama, crime, and action, these elements seamlessly intertwine to create a distinctive cinematic experience. Ultimately, one can discern that beneath the veneer of absurd humor lies a poignant truth. The marginalized individuals at the lower echelons of society are relentlessly battered by fate, their aspirations and dignity shattered, and their innermost desires trampled upon without regard. In this bleak landscape, the yearnings of the heart hold little significance. Obscure individuals dwelling in the depths of despair strive to reach the illuminating surface of hope.

Although it may not be regarded as a masterpiece, it certainly merits attention and viewing.