HEAVEN IN THE DARK (暗色天堂) (2016)

Genre: Drama
Director: Steve Yuen
Cast: Jacky Cheung, Karena Lam, Anthony Wong, Wong He, Law Lan
Runtime: 1 hr 39 mins
Rating: M18
Released By: Clover Films and Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 7 April 2016

Synopsis: After sharing a passionate kiss with Pastor To, Michelle files sexual harassment charges against the pastor. The scandal and the proceedings take their toll on both of them in different ways. When they meet again years after, To and Michelle both realize that truth and absolution was never the ultimate destination.

Movie Review:

Like books, some stage plays are better left untouched by filmmakers. We’re sure you can easily rattle off a list of movie adaptations of novels which have done nothing but left you in frustration (whether the Twilight movies are good examples remain highly debatable).  

Here, we have Steve Yuen bringing lots of talk, talk, and more talk onto the silver screen. Based on Hong Kong playwright Candace Chong’s 2006 award winning play “The French Kiss”, it is evident that the 99 minute film was written for the stage. You can imagine the bare sets required for the different scenes, because the focus of the story is on the two characters. The frequent flashback sequences are also a storytelling technique theatre goers are familiar with. Not that these should dissuade you to watch the movie though, because there are some truly thought provoking issues explored.

The film introduces us to the two leads at a party: To (the underrated Jacky Cheung) is a pastor turned businessman, while Michelle (Karena Lam, who has matured gracefully over the years) looks like an established figure of the high society. Then we find out that the two go way back, and before we know it, we are thrown into the murky territories where morality and truth intertwine dangerously. In the mix is a seemingly consensual French kiss on a drunken night out that turns the two individuals’ lives upside down.

Cheung and Lam reunite on the film set after costarring in the heartrending July Rhapsody 14 years ago. Incidentally, the film directed by Ann Hui had Cheung’s high school teacher going through a midlife crisis and falling in love with his student played by Lam. In their latest work, you can see instant chemistry between the two as the relationship between the two shifts from one end of the scale to the other.

Cheung, who’s nominated in the Best Actor category at the 35^th Hong Kong Film Awards (Aaron Kwok took home the prize for playing a grizzled cop in Philip Yung’s Port of Call) delivers a performance you can identify with. This is a man who struggles with who he really is, and smiles while living up to his esteemed reputation. The God of Songs can act as well as he sings.

Lam (a Best Actress nominee at the 35^th Hong Kong Film Awards who lost to Port of Call’s Jessie Li), who makes us believe that she is the doe eyed young girl in the scenes which take place earlier in the story’s timeline, is also superb with displaying her emotions. The final scene of “revelation” will have you wondering whether a strong faith is really what it takes to be human.

Yuen, who is Lam’s real life husband, has two great actors to tell this morality tale. In the hands of a less able cast, viewers will probably be bored stiff. There is also an interesting ensemble cast of supporting actors: Anthony Wong, Wong Hei, Law Lan and Edmond So. These recognisable names also give terrific performances.

At the end of the day, we were unsure who the victim in the story was. How does emotional manipulation, moral judgments, and this holier than thou thing called truth come into place? What we are pretty sure of though, is that behind the polished and happy fronts, humanity can be a lonely, dark and shady path we all have to take.

Movie Rating:

(Jacky Cheung and Karena Lam are superb in this murky morality tale)

Review by John Li