LIFE WITHOUT PRINCIPLE DVD (夺命金) (2011)
SYNOPSIS: “Life Without Principle” tells the story of three ordinary citizens - bank teller Teresa (Denise Ho), triad thug Buzzard (Lau Ching Wan) and Police inspector Cheung Jin Fong (Richie Jen), whose lives are turned upside down by a bizarre robbery. Hammered by the predicaments of their respective lives, what are their choices between money and principles?
MOVIE REVIEW:
What does three unrelated individuals got to do with one another in this Johnny To’s directed drama?
After a hiatus of two years, the acclaimed director and producer is back with “Life Without Principle”, a social drama that builds around the troubling state of the Greek economy and its impact on the financial world. Adopting a non-linear narrative, certain level of patience is a must for the casual audience as To and his Milkyway scripting team takes us through the lives of Inspector Cheung (Richie Jen), Bank officer Teresa (Denise Ho) and a triad member, Panther (Lau Ching Wan).
Cheung is a workaholic inspector who doesn’t share his fiancée, Connie’s (Myolie Wu) enthusiasm in purchasing an $8 million new flat for investment purposes. Teresa under pressure from her demanding boss is desperate to meet her sales target while the ever-loyal Panther goes all the way to save his fellow sworn brothers out of financial situations. Lastly the death of a loanshark is thrown into the mix. Those expecting To’s usual trigger-happy, guns-toting action sequences will be sorely disappointed even though “Life Without Principle” features a cop and a triad member.
Much of the narrative focused on the thankless job of bank officer and the scripting did a good job explaining to audience the risks of hedge funds through Teresa and an elderly woman who simply wants more returns out of her million dollar savings. Knowing the high risk of the fund and the ignorance of the old woman, Teresa went on with the transaction. This is an interesting jab at the Lehman Brothers fiasco and perhaps a demonstration of the basic greed of men. One individual has to meet her sales target while the other unknowingly walks into a financial trap purely on the promise of 7% return rate. The other character Panther while at times play for laughs is enticing enough given the Triad member who has no prior knowledge of investment manages to hit a homerun in the end. Cheung on the other hand is more gung-ho fighting criminals than handling his materialistic fiancée who insists on getting a new sea-view apartment. With the exception of Panther, the characters of Teresa and Cheung take a realistic view at the mindset of people with materialistic desires. Don’t we all love money in a way?
Cantopop singer Denise Ho did a low key but remarkable job and we really hope to see her face more often. Lau Ching Wan who is no stranger to the financial world given his recent appearance in “Overheard 2” and the TVB blockbuster, “The Greed of Man” did a serviceable job as the naive Panther who just can’t stop blinking his eyes. Owing to the constraint of the plotting, Richie Jen is allocated with yet another forgettable role.
Johnnie To’s “Life Without Principle” is a departure from his usual forays into the triad or romantic pastures. It’s his statement on moral dilemmas and the current instability of the financial world.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
This DVD only contains a Trailer and Photo Gallery.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The mandarin track is clear for this dialogue-based drama. Colours and image transfer is natural and good looking.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
