cityonfire.com | Goodbye Mr. Cool

	Goodbye Mr. Cool "...mildly entertaining in a USA movie-of-the-week kind of way." - Alexander Goodbye Mr. Cool (2001) AKA: Goodbye Mister Cool Director: Jingle Ma (Choh Shing) Producer: Chan Sek Hong, Chong Lai Chan Cast: Ekin Cheng Yee-Kin, Karen Mok Man-Wai, Rain Li (Choi Wah), Wong Ban Yuen, Jackie Lui (Chung Yin), Lam Suet, Chatman To Man-chat, Stephanie Che (Yuen Yuen), Tam Wai Ho. Running Time: 101 min. Plot: Dragon (Ekin Cheng) is an ex-convict who now works as a waiter in the Kowloon Cafe. His prison sentence has changed him, and he is now content with his new and simple life. However, word soon travels about his return, and his ex-girlfriend Helen (Karen Mok) attempts to bring back the old Dragon she once knew. Meanwhile, Dragon learns that he has a six-year old son, who introduces him to a new world, including his school teacher Miss Mon (Rain Li). But Dragon cannot seem to find the peaceful life he desires, as the ghosts from his past follow his every move. Reviews ALEXANDER'S REVIEW: "Goodbye, Mr. Cool" is a bland, run-of-the-mill tale of a respected former Triad member named Dragon (Ekin Cheng) who returns to Hong Kong a changed man after spending six years in a Thai prison for botching the kidnapping of a rival. Stabbed in the leg during a poorly filmed battle with an army of machete wielding cab drivers, our protagonist opts out of the gang life and instead limps meekly around his friend's cafe as a waiter. Implausible plot twists ensue, including the introduction of Dragon's perpetually screeching six-year old son and his sultry former girlfriend (Karen Mok), a major player in the city's Triads; and the boy's sexy, pill-popping, chain smoking 20-year old teacher (a very hot Rain Li) develops a crush on Ekin's character. Jealousy flares, the little kid wails, and Dragon gets into a couple of lamely choreographed fights. Yawn. Anyway, the film is mildly entertaining in a USA movie-of-the-week kind of way. It's cliched, corny and melodramatic with a really abrupt and unnecessarily surprising ending. It's obvious everyone is simply going through the motions, including the director, Jingle Ma, whose "Tokyo Raiders" (also starring Ekin) is vastly superior. Suet Lam ("The Mission") brings little to the film aside from a familiar face and Ekin is simply Ekin (albeit a noticably aged Ekin). Rain Li is a fesh face and is decent here opposite her pop idol co-star. Unfortunately, the (very) few fight scenes lack the style, pacing and flair of Ma's "Raiders". Recommended for Ekin completists, but fans of Ma's other films might want to give "Goodbye, Mr. Cool" a miss. ALEXANDER'S RATING: 6/10

Goodbye Mr. Cool

"...mildly entertaining in a USA movie-of-the-week kind of way."

- Alexander

Goodbye Mr. Cool (2001)

AKA: Goodbye Mister Cool

Director: Jingle Ma (Choh Shing)

Producer: Chan Sek Hong, Chong Lai Chan

Cast: Ekin Cheng Yee-Kin, Karen Mok Man-Wai, Rain Li (Choi Wah), Wong Ban Yuen, Jackie Lui (Chung Yin), Lam Suet, Chatman To Man-chat, Stephanie Che (Yuen Yuen), Tam Wai Ho.

Running Time: 101 min.

Plot: Dragon (Ekin Cheng) is an ex-convict who now works as a waiter in the Kowloon Cafe. His prison sentence has changed him, and he is now content with his new and simple life. However, word soon travels about his return, and his ex-girlfriend Helen (Karen Mok) attempts to bring back the old Dragon she once knew. Meanwhile, Dragon learns that he has a six-year old son, who introduces him to a new world, including his school teacher Miss Mon (Rain Li). But Dragon cannot seem to find the peaceful life he desires, as the ghosts from his past follow his every move.

Reviews

ALEXANDER'S REVIEW: "Goodbye, Mr. Cool" is a bland, run-of-the-mill tale of a respected former Triad member named Dragon (Ekin Cheng) who returns to Hong Kong a changed man after spending six years in a Thai prison for botching the kidnapping of a rival. Stabbed in the leg during a poorly filmed battle with an army of machete wielding cab drivers, our protagonist opts out of the gang life and instead limps meekly around his friend's cafe as a waiter. Implausible plot twists ensue, including the introduction of Dragon's perpetually screeching six-year old son and his sultry former girlfriend (Karen Mok), a major player in the city's Triads; and the boy's sexy, pill-popping, chain smoking 20-year old teacher (a very hot Rain Li) develops a crush on Ekin's character. Jealousy flares, the little kid wails, and Dragon gets into a couple of lamely choreographed fights.

Yawn.

Anyway, the film is mildly entertaining in a USA movie-of-the-week kind of way. It's cliched, corny and melodramatic with a really abrupt and unnecessarily surprising ending. It's obvious everyone is simply going through the motions, including the director, Jingle Ma, whose "Tokyo Raiders" (also starring Ekin) is vastly superior. Suet Lam ("The Mission") brings little to the film aside from a familiar face and Ekin is simply Ekin (albeit a noticably aged Ekin). Rain Li is a fesh face and is decent here opposite her pop idol co-star. Unfortunately, the (very) few fight scenes lack the style, pacing and flair of Ma's "Raiders".

Recommended for Ekin completists, but fans of Ma's other films might want to give "Goodbye, Mr. Cool" a miss.

ALEXANDER'S RATING: 6/10