Ann Hui's gorgeously shot, Academy Awards submitted 2011 drama could have been almost 2 hours of heartbreak, but the pain is thankfully reduced with little doses of sweet humour, and a bunch of surprise cameo's by the great Sammo Hung, Tsui Hark and Anthony Wong. Along with them is Golden Harvest boss, the late Raymond Chow, Don Yu Dong, Gordon Lam, John Shum, Dennis Chan, Chapman To, Stanley Kwan, Andrew Lau and a host of other big names.
This is all down to star (and executive producer) Andy Lau's job, working in the film industry. While he is fantastic in A Simple Life, pulling off a natural and great performance helping his ageing family servant after her stroke, it is the wonderful Deannie Yip who really steals the show. Its weird watching Dragons Forever one week, where she is a feisty fish-farm owner falling for a troublesome Sammo Hung, to then see her in this as an old, suffering woman who wants to continue serving the family, and be happy...
This, for me, is the heartbreak!
The curse of film is forever seeing your heroes as their young, spritely selves, trapped in time as we repeatedly watch their earlier work for our own nostalgic happiness. We forget they grow old and weaker (as we all do), expecting them to forever stay the way we remember them - and well, unless you're Andy Lau, you've no chance. Seeing Deannie Yip so old, unbalanced and poorly, is really quite upsetting. Her performance is so impactful, it really is incredible to watch and rightfully won her the Best Actress Award a couple of times upon release.
The film captures much reality as Yip takes her place in a nursing home, with many of the patients on film, genuine residents. Hui also manages to catch Hong Kong's amazing celebratory fireworks display over the bay, and a party of the film industry which is where many of the cameo's appear. Director Ann Hui, Andy Lau and Deannie Yip have crossed paths together many times before. A Simple Life brings the three of them together for an incredible experience and perhaps, one of their all-time best, bringing a lump to the throat more than once. Simple in many ways, but very effective, the film is one of Hui's best and a defining moment of Hong Kong cinema...
Overall: A beautiful and emotional film, A Simple Life brings a touch of reality and heart to the screen, highlighting the genius of Ann Hui and its incredible cast!
This is all down to star (and executive producer) Andy Lau's job, working in the film industry. While he is fantastic in A Simple Life, pulling off a natural and great performance helping his ageing family servant after her stroke, it is the wonderful Deannie Yip who really steals the show. Its weird watching Dragons Forever one week, where she is a feisty fish-farm owner falling for a troublesome Sammo Hung, to then see her in this as an old, suffering woman who wants to continue serving the family, and be happy...
This, for me, is the heartbreak!
The curse of film is forever seeing your heroes as their young, spritely selves, trapped in time as we repeatedly watch their earlier work for our own nostalgic happiness. We forget they grow old and weaker (as we all do), expecting them to forever stay the way we remember them - and well, unless you're Andy Lau, you've no chance. Seeing Deannie Yip so old, unbalanced and poorly, is really quite upsetting. Her performance is so impactful, it really is incredible to watch and rightfully won her the Best Actress Award a couple of times upon release.
The film captures much reality as Yip takes her place in a nursing home, with many of the patients on film, genuine residents. Hui also manages to catch Hong Kong's amazing celebratory fireworks display over the bay, and a party of the film industry which is where many of the cameo's appear. Director Ann Hui, Andy Lau and Deannie Yip have crossed paths together many times before. A Simple Life brings the three of them together for an incredible experience and perhaps, one of their all-time best, bringing a lump to the throat more than once. Simple in many ways, but very effective, the film is one of Hui's best and a defining moment of Hong Kong cinema...
Overall: A beautiful and emotional film, A Simple Life brings a touch of reality and heart to the screen, highlighting the genius of Ann Hui and its incredible cast!