Wong Gok ka moon / As Tears Go By (1988) - The Heart and Soul of British Hong Kong - 7/10 (07/10/24)

As Tears Go By, originally known as Wong Gok ka moon, is the directorial debut of Wong Kar-wai, who was only twenty-nine years old when this film was first released. This movie features many other excellent actresses and actors from Hong Kong in the early days of their careers. An astonishing Andy Lau plays the protagonist at the tender age of twenty-six years. The female lead actress is Maggie Cheung who was only just twenty-three years old but left an impressive mark upon cinema. Other notable actors are successful cantopop singer Jacky Cheung, renowned art director William Chang and veteran actor and singer Alex Man.

Nowadays, a film such as As Tears Go By would be called a slice-of-life. The movie follows moderately successful mob enforcer Wah who has to help his clumsy subordinate and friend Fly out of many dangerous situations. His life gets even more complicated when Wah is dumped by his girlfriend Mabel who also aborted their baby. Out of the blue, Wah's aunt asks him to take care of his little cousin Ngor who comes to Hong Kong for a medical procedure. The story progresses as Fly's actions spiral dangerously out of control, Wah meets Mabel again under different circumstances and he slowly falls for his cousin who however starts a relationship with her doctor.

This movie manages to convince on numerous levels. First and foremost, the acting performances are certainly above average. Lead actor Andy Lau showcases his versatile talent in this realistic film. Maggie Cheung shines as an actress who doesn't speak much but shows each gesture with much depth. Jacky Cheung excels as clumsy friend with a heart of gold. Alex Man impresses as hot-tempered antagonist who focuses more on appearances than values. The entire cast leaves a memorable and positive impression.

The settings of this film are interesting for anyone curious about Hong Kong. We get to discover rather unknown locations such as rural Lantau Island but also the big city life of downtown Hong Kong. The advertisements, clothing and music portray what this British colony looked like in the eighties. This movie most certainly evokes strong feelings of nostalgia and even longing to locals today.

The plot is a vibrant mixture of genres as it meanders fluidly from action movie over thriller to personal drama and all the way back again. This rollercoaster ride has passages focusing on character development and profound dialogues while other sections are brutal action sequences shot in the nocturnal street life of the bustling colony.

The movie has two notable issues that should be mentioned. First of all, the film suffers from its limited budget as the quality of images and sounds is rudimentary at best. While some cineasts might argue that such an approach is charming, I would actually tend to disagree here as the technical equipment doesn't do the overall very decent film justice.

Another challenge is the changing and shifting plot. This element has since become a trademark for director Wong Kar-wai but his first strike here lacks the depth of his later movies. Several plot elements are poorly developed and feel rushed. Especially the unsatisfactory ending is quite confusing and will leave most viewers scratching their heads.

Still, As Tears Go By goes down as a convincing first movie for director Wong Kar-wai thanks to excellent acting, vibrant settings and a sizzling plot with unpredictable twists and turns. This movie truly showcases the heart and soul of British Hong Kong in the late eighties. Despite the film's overall dark and even desperate atmosphere, there are enough beautiful and inspiring elements to see to understand why some viewers might feel quite nostalgic and mournful while watching this movie. Despite its flaws in form of technical limitations and a plot with many highs and lows, this film is highly recommended to any fan of Hong Kong cinema.