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Review
by Kozo: |
They
could be the new Andy Lau and Sammi Cheng. Okay, maybe
not. Regardless, Eric Kot and Candy Lo are suddenly
the hottest screen couple of 2006 by simple virtue
of getting paired up too many times this year. First
came their odd pairing in Cocktail, followed
by the "one Eric and two Candy" love triangle
in Half Twin. Now, thanks to Feel It Say
It..., they've hit the 2006 trifecta. The proper
response is probably to clap politely at their continued
casting success. Of greater importance: the movie
ain't half-bad.
Eric Kot is Zmon Heung, a
dedicated dermatologist whose main goal in life is
to insure that people in Hong Kong have fully-functioning
equipment. His skin care clinic caters almost exclusively
to those who possess sexually-transmitted diseases,
and is even located in a remote region to enhance
his customer's privacy. Aiding him is Ma Hiu-Yeung
(Candy Lo), his workaholic assistant who cares for
the daily operation of the clinic, as well as some
portions of the doctor's personal life. Zmon is seeing
Fei Fei (Tiffany Lee), a buxom model who may be more
than he can handle. The film is barely 15 minutes
old when it's discovered that Fei Fei has a sweaty
attraction to stuttering masseuse To Bing (Anson Leung),
who just so happens to be Ma's boyfriend.
Not surprisingly, To Bing
returns Fei Fei's affection and the two are soon locking
lips and hips. Meanwhile, Zmon and Ma continue to
cure the VD-afflicted, all the while not realizing
that A) they both are wearing green hats, and B) they
are truly meant for one another. When the two finally
catch on that their other halves may be seeing one
another, they stake out To Bing's apartment until
they get some official confirmation. In the meantime,
they also do role-play, running through the myriad
emotions that a person feels when they suspect that
their boyfriend/girlfriend may be snacking on the
side. When they discover that their suspicions are
confirmed, role-play becomes reality. Luckily they
still have the clinic - and more importantly, each
other.
Feel It Say It... earns points with its minor, if not too postmodern
look at the uncertainties of finding one's better
half. The eventual courtship of the lead characters
is subtly affecting in that the moments experienced
are quiet. Nobody chases anybody down in the street
to announce their undying love. Everything here is
done tentatively, and Candy Lo and Eric Kot seem genuine
in their sometimes awkward emotion. The romance between
Anson Leung and Tiffany Lee is played a bit more overtly,
pushing for as many sweaty clinches as the tame IIA
rating can muster. It's also completely dropped three-quarters
into the film, which is unexpected, though not really
unwelcome. Closure and teary confrontations seldom
happen in real life; by eschewing the obvious, Feel
It Say It... ends up feeling more genuine.
However, the romances
are only a portion of the film. The rest is a mismatched
PSA for the importance of getting your equipment checked
once in a while. A parade of Hong Kong B-listers - including Sam Lee, Chin Kar-Lok, Jerry Lamb, and Emily
Kwan --show up flaunting their sexual dysfunction
or newly-acquired venereal diseases. The moments can
be uneven, as they're sometimes accompanied by commentary
that breaks the fourth wall, overt lecturing on possible
infections, and even an awkward musical number. We
also get visual illustrations of fetishes, sex appeal,
and Japanese people who like to cheat on one another.
The anti-VD sequences vary in effectiveness and entertainment
value. It's great to watch Sam Lee and Jerry Lamb
admit to having VD, but does it really jibe with the
rest of the film? It's hard to say. Given the extended
romantic plotline AND the abundance of sex-ed lessons,
Feel It Say It... almost feels like two movies
zipped into one.
But this isn't some
vaunted Peter Chan or Wong Kar-Wai film that we're
looking at. Feel It Say It... is small stuff,
and doesn't aspire to much more than a quiet combo
of pleasing romance and public service announcement.
With that in mind, the film is a minor success. Director
Bennie Chan (not to be confused with Benny Chan, director
of Gen-X Cops) creates identifiable emotions,
the rural location is charming, and Eric Kot and Candy
Lo are exceptionally likable. Neither actor carries
anything resembling star baggage, and seem like average,
amiable people that one would probably be glad to
know. The two form a believable couple, and their
pursuit of a mature relationship is refreshing in
its low-key charm. That right there is enough to make Feel It Say It... better than the popstar-fueled
crap the industry churns out. The fact that it doesn't
star a Cookie is an extra bonus. (Kozo 2006) |
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