All About Ah-Long (1989)
All About Ah-Long is worth a look not only by fans of Chow Yun-Fat but also for those interested in the early works of Johnny To, one of the better directors working in Hong Kong today.
It tells the tale of Ah Long (Yun-Fat), who takes his eleven-year-old son to a competition to be the next child film star. The talent director for the film takes a liking to the boy, and he wins. Coincidentally, Ah Long and the boy’s mother (Chang) were once an item 10 years back, but she left him after he beat her mercilessly, including throwing her down a flight of steps while pregnant. She was told the child had died upon delivery, but, was given up for adoption, which Ah Long took responsibility for and subsequently raised after release from prison. The once thought deceased child is the same boy that is the child actor sensation. Ah Long still has feelings for the woman, but the woman bonds with her son and wants him to live with her in her luxurious lifestyle in the U.S. instead of with the financially struggling Ah Long.
If you want a quick and tidy summation of what the film is about, All About Ah-Long is a Hong Kong version of Kramer vs. Kramer, albeit with Asian sensibilities.
As a drama, the film maintains a consistent level of interest, with likable characters and an intriguing main story-line, even if there appear to be some faulty motivations within the minds of the main protagonists. Of all of these questionable stances, perhaps the most challenging thing to understand is the fact that the mother would contemplate ever returning to a man who has shown such unbelievable brutality to her, and who in one scene beats his young son ruthlessly, even evicting him from his own house.
Some viewers may have difficulty in resolving that both main characters think that beatings are a sign of love, and Ah Long seems to have a lot of love in him to go around. If you can get around such uncomfortable displays in child abuse, and that’s a big if, the film is moderately entertaining up until the heavy-handed, overdramatic ending.
Qwipster’s rating: B-
MPAA Rated: Not rated, but probably PG-13 for some violence and thematic material
Running Time: 95 min.
Cast: Chow Yun-Fat, Sylvia Chang, Kwan Yuen Wong
Director: Johnnie To
Screenplay: Cheng Chung Tai