Crazy N' the City (2005)

Director: James Yuen Sai-Sang

Writer: James Yuen Sai-Sang, Jessica Fong Ching, Law Yiu-Fai

Producer: Derek Yee Tung-Sing, Henry Fong Ping

Cast: Eason Chan Yik-Shun, Joey Yung Tso-Yi, Francis Ng Chun-Yu, Yan Ng Yat-Yin, Chloe Chiu Shuet-Fei, Meng Zhang, Kara Hui Ying-Hung, Lam Suet, Hui Siu-Hung, Chin Kar-Lok, Alex Fong Chung-Sun, Henry Fong Ping, Sam Lee Chan-Sam, Crystal Tin Yui-Lei, Liu Kai-Chi, Daichi Harashima, Elena Kong Mei-Yi, Waise Lee Chi-Hung, Ella Koon Yun-Na

Running Time: 93 min.

Plot: See review below.

Availability: This title is available at HKflix.com

RAGING GAIJIN'S REVIEW: "Crazy N' the City" opens with a clever prologue that completely tricks the viewer into thinking they're watching something that they're not. It's a rain-soaked night in downtown Wanchai and two cops are out on patrol; for the eldest of the two, it's his last night on the job. While his partner is distracted, the older officer ducks into an alley to investigate something – and he's soon held by a thug with a knife at his throat. His partner rushes to rescue him but...You probably know what happens next because you've seen this kind of movie before. But just when you think you're about to watch the hundredth retread of "Lethal Weapon", we find out that this was all just a daydream of Eason Chan's. He is actually a cop but his life is a lot more mundane than what you see in the movies. In all his years on the force, he's never had to pull his gun! From there we are plunged into his life as a beat cop in street-level Wanchai and into "Crazy N' the City", one of the most whimsical and engaging Hong Kong films in years.

It's fitting that "Crazy N' the City" was directed and co-written by James Yuen. He's a veteran in the Hong Kong film industry and he wrote one of my all time favorite movies, "A Moment of Romance". I say it's fitting because "Crazy N' the City" just glows with a sense of nostalgia. This is not because it's some kind of retrospective of classic HK cop movies – but because it actually *feels* like a classic HK cop movie! I got the same feeling I did the first time I saw "Bullets Over Summer". It has that sense of a classic in the making. It effortlessly channels the tone and feel of HK films of yesteryear, while presenting something new and exciting thanks to some top-notch acting talent.

Headlining the cast is Eason Chan, an actor who really impressed me in "Love Battlefield" and later disappointed me with "Heat Team". Here, he's playing his A-game once again. He's the anchor of the film as a restless cop who can't manage to muster enthusiasm for his job anymore. Joey Yung plays his wide-eyed and idealistic partner who slowly but surely brings about a change in him. Francis Ng turns in a stellar performance in a supporting role as a mentally-stunted man who is something like the 'village idiot' of Wanchai. It's not an easy role to pull off, as we've seen this kind of character before (a man experiences some horrible tragedy and then becomes despondent) and he could have easily come off as annoying due to his strange antics and behavior. Fortunately, Francis Ng is quite possibly the finest character actor in Hong Kong and he turns in another in a long line of great performances. He's a joy to watch onscreen, as is the rest of the cast. Look for cameos by Hui Siu-Hung and Lam Suet, two actors usually seen in Milky Way movies.

"Crazy N' the City" also excels at switching up genres on a whim. There are many Hong Kong films that make sudden turns from comedy to drama and back again, but there are few that pull it off. "Crazy N' the City" is one of the few. Because you come to like and care about the characters during the more breezy moments, you are actively involved when things become more serious. The drama in the story doesn't feel thrown in haphazardly either. Beneath the surface, there is a poignant quality to many of the characters and their lives, and the filmmakers do a good job of highlighting this at the right moments. It also helps that the actors give remarkably sincere performances as well, Eason Chan and Francis Ng in particular.

I can't lie: during the last act, the film runs the risk of being overly sentimental. At this point, the movie walks the fine line between genuinely moving and cheesy melodrama. You may disagree but I think "Crazy N' the City" earns its sentimentality. The characters experience and grow so much during the course of the film that their triumphs and redemption at the end seem only fitting. In other words, I felt like the characters deserved their hard-earned triumphs. This made it more satisfying and kept it from being just another happy ending.

Anyone looking for a 'cop soap opera' with both laugh and pathos, or just a movie that reminds you of Hong Kong's glory days, should seek out "Crazy N' the City". I'd rank it alongside "Love Battlefield" as one of the best new HK movies I've seen in the past four or five years. Perhaps the best part about the it is that it actually came out this year! What do you know, not only is "Crazy N' the City" an affecting film about hope and redemption...but it has also given me hope in the future of HK cinema. For that, it definitely earns an 8/10. Bravo, James Yuen.

RAGING GAIJIN'S RATING: 8/10