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無敵幸運星 (1990)
When Fortune Smiles


Reviewed by: mrblue
Date: 08/08/2006

A wealthy diamond salesman passes away, and so his family sends for his daughter (Sandra Ng) to come and take over the company. However, his son (Anthony Wong) and nephew (Shing Fui-On) have their own plans to get a hold of the family fortune. Wong finds a lookalike to fool his family, while Shing employs a small-time conman (Stephen Chow) to woo Ng and embezzle the money. As Chow and Ng begin to have real feelings for each other, the schemes begin to unravel, until Wong resorts to kidnapping the family so he can get away with a cache of diamonds.

While being hampered by an uneven script and haphazard editing (for example, it's never shown exactly how Wong finds the lookalike) When Fortune Smiles is still a very funny movie that also has some solid action sequences. In fact, I would say that this is Stephen Chow's best work before he hit it big with his first true "nonsense" comedy, All for the Winner. Though Chow's performance isn't as strong as most of his later work, the rest of the cast here shines.

In particular, I really enjoyed Shing Fui-On. Even though he is better known for playing heavies in the popular "heroic bloodshed" movies of the time such as The Killer, he has a flair for comedy that I wished more directors would have taken advantage of. Anthony Wong, complete with greasy mullet, turns in a suitably over-the-top turn as the film's villain. Sandra Ng doesn't have much to work with here, but her performance reminded me a bit of her work in the Golden Chicken films, which would finally get her out of the "ugly duckling" status most of her film roles fell under until a few years ago.

So while When Fortune Smiles isn't the greatest comedy Hong Kong has ever produced, Stephen Chow fans could do a whole lot worse than this. It's fast, funny, and never takes itself too seriously. Plus, as mentioned before, there is some good action as well, with a couple of sequences featuring the formidable Billy Chow. In this day and age of middling releases from Hong Kong, sometimes it's even the lesser-known movies from Hong Kong's "golden age" that manage to provide much more entertainment than many so-called modern "blockbusters", and When Fortune Smiles is even more proof of that.

[review from hkfilm.net]

Reviewer Score: 7

Reviewed by: pjshimmer
Date: 02/17/2003

When Fortune Smiles is a movie that I care very little about. I've been watching a lot of Stephen Chow movies, and this is one of those "why was it ever made" ones.

Granted, most HK movies have boring beginnings, but this one may be one of the worst yet. It seemed to go nowhere, and things got really confusing (first a wealth business man dies, then Chow tries to trick his wife, and then Sandra Ng gets pushed into a river... and there's no connection what so ever). As usual, things pick up after 20 minutes or so.

It's also one of Chow's least funny. The highlight is perhaps Chow acting out some ridiculous stuff (involving poop) to a girl while the guards are asleep.

Ultimately, this is a predictable movie about the rise and fall of a bunch of frauds (a la Magnificent Scoundrels). There are some slightly touching moments as well as some of the most boring segments in Stephen Chow cinema.

[5/10]


Reviewed by: Sydneyguy
Date: 05/19/2002
Summary: Very good

I think this is the last GREAT Chow Sing Chi movie i have yet to see, until now. Very funny, with big laughs everywhere. I think the other reviewers have said enough but this will make you laugh!! the only think i did not like about it was the ending. It just felt like it finished, and thats IT!! but apart from that, well worth laughing at!!

7.75/10

Reviewer Score: 8

Reviewed by: MrBooth
Date: 02/03/2002
Summary: Fantastic comedy

When the rich head of a large jewellery firm dies, he chooses to leave his estate to his daughter (who has been living in France for 10 years) rather than his obnoxious son (Anthony Wong). Wong fortuitously finds that a HK garbage collector (Sandra Ng) looks exactly like the daughter, and hatches a plan to substitute her in the family and hence acquire the wealth.

Meanwhile, the son of the estate executor also hatches a plot. First he employs trickster Stephen Chiau to steal the will and change the name, but after being convinced that this won't work he decides to get Chiau to pose as Sandra's childhood lover, and get the wealth when he marries her.

A moderately unlikely plot that sets up the "imposters don't know the other is an imposter too" scenario, but unlikely is OK because it's not a serious film. In fact, this appears to be one of Chiau's first comedy roles... and he really shines in it. Not the first comedy role for Sandra Ng, but possibly the first in which she isn't really annoying. I suspect this entirely due to her hair, which isn't big and stupid here for once!

The movie is directed by Anthony Chan, who also pops up from time to time as a private detective that Chiau gets to help him by playing to his ego. He gives a very amusing performance, and handles the duties behind the camera equally well.

The plot has a lot of situational comedy, and some of it is just fantastically amusing. My favourite scenes were the short appearances of Anthony Wong's wife... I don't know who the actress is, but she was just hilarious. I think I've seen her before and also noticed how much she shined at comedy.

Both Chiau and Sandra Ng give hilarious performances too, and as well rounded characters they come off well in more serious sections too. Anthony Wong overacts somewhat, but doesn't get chance to do so often. Shing Fui On is loveable as ever :) Billy Chow pops up once in the middle and for longer at the end to inject the action quotient into the movie. Not great action (not an action movie), but Billy is impressive.

Overall verdict... this movie made me laugh out loud more than I have done for a while - one of Chiau's best in fact. Hidden gem award!

Reviewer Score: 9

Reviewed by: Inner Strength
Date: 01/13/2002
Summary: Sandra Ng: The Queen Of Comedy!

A movie which puts any doubts to rest, that Sandra Ng really is the queen of comedy, more so that Carol Cheng I think. This movie is very good, a Cindarella type movie. Stephen Chow is also very good.

Worth watching!

Rating: 4/5

(This rating is based on the year & genre, so don't think it's based as a comparison on new releases etc.)


Reviewed by: sarah
Date: 08/26/2000
Summary: scuba mayhem

A very entertaining film with a great cast. Sing Jai is a thief and conman caught siphoning money from Shing Fu Ons' casino. The latter sends him to burgle his uncles will (as he has left all his money to an unknown female cousin from Paris) leading to some very funny cat-burgler scenes and tight black outfits. Meanwhile, Shing Fu Ons' evil cousin (a young and thin Wong Chow Sang) has transformed recycler Rubbish Feng (Sandra Ng) into a fake niece from Paris Chao Fei Fei in a plot to embezzle the family fortune. When Vincent Han Wan Sing (Chiaus fake identity) is sprung by the Tai Chi uncle he gets dressed up in a frilly frenchmaids outfit and seduces Sandra Ngs' character with his hip swivelling. All this leads to a fake engagement and a gorgeous wedding scene and lots of hilarious farce. Sandra Ng is a formidable comedic talent and a fine match for Sing Jai. The finale, set on a diving boat is one of my all-time favourite action comedy scenes, using diving gear in creative and hilarious ways.