Review by: Andrew Chan FCCA AACTA FIPRESCI
Review Date: 20th December 2013

Directed by: Tony Au
Starring: Anita Mui, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Hidekazu Akai, Norman Chu, Carrie Ng, Kenneth Tsang

Reviewed as part of our Classic Hong Kong Cinema Edition

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Anita Mui created many memorable performances in the early 90s as the height of her singing fame went over the roof. I have always admired Mui’s ability to extract a certain level of vulnerability yet at the same time being able to extent emotionally in a totally unique manner. Playing long suffering lovers and waiting and longing for someone during the complicated period 1940s of China and Japanese war, can easily be a one-noted cliche role, but Mui is able to pull it off in a certain flair that only she can achieve. “Au Revoir, Mon Amour” is not one of the best movies of Hong Kong cinema, but it has a certain attraction to that makes it a cinematic classic for repeated viewings.

Tony Leung Ka Fai is always brilliant and in the early 90s he has become an expert in playing heartthrob roles. While the relationship between Leung and Mui lacks a certain level of intensity or radiating chemistry to bring the audience to tears, they all by made up for it, in with some quality acting chops. I thought that the side-story forbidden romance between “running dog” villain (played by the youthful Norman Chu) and Carrie Ng is a far better constructed love affair and one that easily convinces from the opening bar sequences.

All in all, “Au Revoir, Mon Amour” is another example of why Anita Mui is one of the greats of Hong Kong cinema. She is one of a kind in that despite not being outright beautiful, she is able to encapsulate the audience through her genuine performance. It is a rare quality of classic star power that are rarely seen in female actresses in the modern era. Not to mention, the theme song sang by Mui is yet another forgotten gem. Director Tony Au (most recently worked as Art Director in Wong Kar Wai’s “The Grandmasters”) is far better in creating artistic scenery and beautifully paced shots than an actual coherent story. In the end, the film fails to hit an emotional high when it really should have. The ending seems rather manufactured, but by the end of the film, there is already enough quality moments in the film to make it a cinematic classic for the ages. (Neo 2013)

I rated it 8/10

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