Hardrock Affairs
2004
Director: Leung Wung-Fat
Stars: Chin Kar-Lok, Hui Siu-Hung, Kristy Yeung
In Hardrock Affairs, Chin Kar-Lok plays a low-level crook who is double-crossed by his boss (Hui Siu-Hung, who must be in a dead heat with Chapman To for the 2004 "most roles for a buck" award) during a diamonds deal. Chin takes off to a village, where he befriends a widow (Kristy Yeung) and her young son. Over time, Chin develops feelings for the widow, but as his enemies close in on him, he must decide whether to tell her the truth about his past.
One of the great things about Hong Kong movies is how so many of them can throw diverse elements and genres into the mix and still come up with something entertaining. Unfortunately, Hardrock Affairs isn't one of them. It sure tries -- there's drama, romance, comedy and even a bit of wire-fu. But nothing ever seems to come into place, and, as a result, makes the film almost painful to watch at points. The whole movie reeks of a low budget; characters sport almost the same clothes during the entire film, even though it is supposed to take place over several weeks. They didn't even bother doing a decent job with the Mandarin and Chinese overdubs; at many times during the movie, the actor's lips don't match what they're saying at all.
I must admit some of my displeasure was due to the ultra-low grade Mainland DVD, which didn't even have subtitles. But, honestly, even if this was presented on a two-disc special THX edition, it wouldn't have improved the actual content of the movie one iota. Ultimately, Hardrock Affairs is just another in the long list of dismissable entries in one of the more forgettable years as a whole for the Hong Kong and Chinese film industries over the past twenty years.
RATING: 4