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Spacked
Out |
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Year: |
2000 |
The girls of Spacked Out |
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Director: |
Lawrence
Ah Mon (Lau Kwok-Cheung) |
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Producer: |
Johnnie
To Kei-Fung |
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Cast: |
Debbie
Tam Kit-Man, Christy Cheung Wing-Yin, Au Man-Si, Maggie Poon
Mei-Si, Vanessa Chu |
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The
Skinny: |
An
uncommon Hong Kong film that uses unknowns and real locations
to tell a common, but incredibly real story. Not a fun movie,
but one absolutely worth watching. |
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Review
by Kozo: |
Lawrence Ah Mon’s return to directing is a low-budget indie
produced by pal Johnnie To and Milky Way Productions. It chronicles
the misadventures of four young girls ages 12-13 who live
in a world that could only be described as HK’s version of
Larry Clark’s Kids. Basically, we’re asked to watch
as it’s apparent that their lives mean nothing and have little
to offer in the future.
Cookie has no mother, may be pregnant,
and has a triad boyfriend that cares nothing for her. Two
of our heroines, Sissy and Cece, are actually going out, but
they’re different. One is a reckless tomboy that’s too attached
to her chosen mate, while the other is a self-imagined pinup
girl who wants to screw around. That leaves us with Banana,
who has an insane mother, an absent father, participates in
phone chat room dating, runs mobile phones to China, and sleeps
around like nobody’s business. And remember, they’re all 12-13!!!
Okay, that’s really not a shock,
since we know by now that this stuff happens. Still, it can
be painful and even harrowing to watch. This is a film that
seems plotless, but reaches its denouement when we realize
that this is all a byproduct of a society that values nothing.
Only then do we see the lesson that the girls discover in
the film. That answer is something I won’t divulge but it’s
prosaic, rather obvious, and totally true. This is a movie
where there are zero answers, but the journey itself is compelling
and laudable.
Lawrence Ah Mon wrings real performances
from his cast of total unknowns, with only Vanessa Chu (as
Lai-Yi) resembling anything like a star. Her ethereal, waif-like
appearance only helps her small, but vital role. She plays
an almost idealistic other to our protagonists, and thus becomes
a sort of untouchable idol to Cookie. I enjoyed this film
for what it provided: a dark, believable truth with an equally
believable optimism left behind. (Kozo 2000) |
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Availability: |
DVD
(Hong Kong)
Region 0 NTSC
Mei Ah Laser
Widescreen
Cantonese and Mandarin Language Tracks
Dolby Digital 5.1
Removable English and Chinese Subtitles |
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image courtesy
of www.stareast.net
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| LoveHKFilm.com
Copyright ©2002-2017 Ross Chen
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