十个古惑仔，九个衰到底

(that's not Mai Hao Wei)

十个古惑仔，九个衰到底

I've been dying to watch this since it was released a year back. Somehow, the thought of paying $20 for the dvd held me back for a year. I cannot tell you how glad I was when I saw it lying it a heap of discounted dvds at the neighbourhood mall near my place. I finally laid my hands on Run Papa Run for a mere $5.

The film reunites Louis Koo and Rene Liu again, after the acclaimed (really?) "Happy Birthday". Koo is casted as a gangster boss again like many of his past works while Liu is a fresh lawyer who falls in love with Koo and bears a daughter for him. As fatherhood confronts him, the movie is essentially about how Koo tries his best to change for the better for the sake of his growing daughter. What makes a man want to be more than he is and to pass something good and hopeful into the hands of his son. This creates a conflict between who he is and who he wants to be in the eyes of his daughter. As a result, he resorts to any means to hide the truth.

I like the chemistry between the two leads and the comic timing of Louis Koo. He has gone a long way from the 小白脸 in the past to a true actor nowadays. His versatility has been showcased over the years, though his forte still lies in being an accidental hero like in Connected. Somebody I know even call him the next 郑少秋, which I politely screamed "Hell, no". This movie is practically a Louis Koo vehicle for him to showcase his acting range. I must say, he is truely and indeed one of the best leading man material in Hong Kong. His portrayal as a young and wild gangster, to a hysterical middle age father who puts his family above self and as a helpless old man towards the end of the movie is indeed commendable. And most importantly, I just love his tan. And Rene is just the same old Rene : doe-eyed, sickeningly sweet and affable as the woman behind the man.

I would recommend this to all Hong Kong movie fans. Even though it does not add anything new to the triad genre, it provides a fresh perspective on the genre by adding a dimension of human-ness to the 陈浩南 and 山鸡 who glorify the dark triads of underground HK.

Does anyone know how much a tanning machine cost nowadays? 喂

Thank you for reading.