A SECRET BETWEEN US (第一次不是你) (2013)

Genre: Drama/Romance
Director: Patrick Kong  
Cast: Edward Ma, Angel Chiang, Elena Kong, Tin-Ngoh Seung, Lo Hoi-Pang, Mak Cheung Ching, Amanda Lee
RunTime: 1 hr 36 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Violence and Sexual Scenes) 
Released By: Shaw
Official Website:  

Opening Day: 
14 November 2013

Synopsis: Bobo (Angel Chiang) and Ken (Edward Ma) are lovers. One day, Bobo’s mum was diagnosed with serious kidney failure. To pay for the kidney transplant, Bobo has no choice but to work as a prostitute. Later Bobo’s mother passed away and she was taken away by her relatives, without having a chance to inform Ken. Ken never get to meet her since then, till 10 years later where they meet at their friend’s wedding…

Movie Review:

Don’t get us wrong – we love nostalgic movies. Look at what the genre did for the 2011 Taiwanese romance flick You Are the Apple of My Eye directed by Giddens Ko. We still shed bittersweet tears of joy whenever we think of the bittersweet nostalgic scenes. However, Hong Kongfilmmaker Patrick Kong, who is known for his teen dramas Nobody’s Perfect (2008) and Love Connected (2009), seems to have gotten it all wrong in his latest work.

The 96 minute movie begins with the male and female protagonists meeting after years apart to rekindle their first love. Inevitably, they stir up memories and secrets they share.Flashback: In the heat of a summer vacation, and with their first love blossoming, tragic news sends this young couple spinning. The girl’s mother is diagnosed with kidney disease, and is in desperate need of transplant surgery. The poor girl turns to prostitution to earn quick money to save her dying mother. How will this implicate the love that was supposed to conclude with a fairytale ending? 

The storyline is treading into some edgily dark areas, but the need to appeal to mainstream audiences through the use of nostalgia seems unfitting. There are lovey dovey scenes of the couple chatting about what the future holds for them, complemented by visually appealing cinematography. There are scenes of the couple’s first attempt at lovemaking. There are even scenes of sexual abuse, which was supposed to evoke sympathy for the female lead, but no thanks to uneven pacing, you’d wish the one and a half hours in the theatre would end sooner.

Produced by Wong Jing, the movie stars eye candy Edward Ma as the clueless lad and Angel Chiang as the headstrong girl who is forced to turn to desperate measures. The pairing has some chemistry between them - Chiang sheds her sex symbol image to pass the test, and Ma’s boyish looks should send some hearts fluttering. However, they are greenhorns in the industry after all, and eventually fail to leave an impression with their somewhat forgettable performances. Standing out are veteran actors like Elena Kong and Lo Hoi Pang, whose screen time is limited but leaves an impact.

Is this a coming of age film? The answer is clear, but while it attempts to tug at your heartstrings, it does so compromising on sincerity, and the unfortunate result is a movie where you don’t really care for the protagonists.

We know love is like an addiction, but watching it unfold in this movie is a somewhat frustrating experience. This is especially prevalent towards the end of the movie, where we wished the couple would be less wishy washy about things. We also know love is filled with mushy dialogue, but when it’s played out here, things seem contrived instead. The overbearing piano score sure doesn’t help either. The result is a rather self indulgent piece of work which may look good superficially, but is nothing more than a commercial product produced at earning some quick bucks at the box office. 

Movie Rating:

(A teen drama that leaves little impact despite its pretty visuals)

Review by John Li


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