Fine production values give this film an attractive look, and able writing as well as solid playing by the two leads help in avoiding the puerile action that cripples many Hong Kong film factory melodramas. A brisk pace is established from the outset as Veteran plainclothes Hong Kong Police Officer Ken (Stanley Fung) rescues, in comedic fashion, a young woman who has threatened to jump to her death from the roof of a multi-story building. During this time, Fatty (Kent Chang), a pickpocket by trade who, with two crime partners, seeks out tourists as victims, justifying his crimes because his marks have "excess" funds, swipes Ken's wallet when the latter drops it, and then outruns the policeman after a humorously hectic chase. Soon after, Ken follows a lead and locates suspect Fatty's residence, only to discover his own young son leaving the house, and to learn that the boy's closest friend and classmate is the son of Fatty. After a visit with Fatty's wife (Carrie Ng), son, and wheel chair confined mother, Ken elects to moderate his original plan of immediately arresting Fatty, having decided instead to merely make an attempt at regaining his wallet. At Family Day festivities organized through the school attended by the two youngsters, Fatty's family, in concert with Ken, his son, and his girl friend May (Chow Mai Fung), are enjoying the event's competitive games, while growing closer, the theft of Ken's wallet failing as a result to disrupt a burgeoning friendship, particularly since Ken does not wish to disillusion Fatty's family members from their belief that their patriarch is employed as a stock market floor trader. Unfortunately, Fatty's disabled mother is injured during the Family day conviviality, and subsequently is in need of surgery along with advanced medical treatment. In order to surmount impending debts Fatty, with his godson Wah (Wilson Lam) and a confederate, decide upon committing a bold daytime robbery of a jewelry dealer. At issue in this plot-packed work is whether or not Fatty will complete a reconstruction of his larcenous lifestyle and which sort of penalty he will face for his many transgressions. The film flirts with being social drama, since Fatty believes that he steals only from the wealthy in order to assist the poor (he and his family), but creative effort from producer/director Fung, and Cheng who helps write the screenplay, expand the range of themes within an engrossing narrative. These two are effectively matched for this storyline, while the playing all round is of solid merit, including that of the pair of juveniles. A Mega Star DVD release is available in a well-produced wide screen anamorphic version, providing the film with both Cantonese and Mandarin soundtracks, subtitles being available in English as well as in Simplified and Traditional Chinese. It drew very well during a brief theatre run, and deserves a home video extension of that success.
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