Looking for Mr. Perfect review

Grace is a tough Hong Kong police detective on vacation in Malaysia with her up-and-coming model friend, Joey. Pursued by two men she doesn’t love, and dreaming of her “Mr. Perfect, Grace gets mixed up in a plot involving a few groups of people attempting to steal a missile system. Along the way she encounters the man who she believes to be her Mr. Perfect, while he has to agenda to deal with

The Good?
The film pleasantly works as one of those genre-defying, light Hong Kong flicks that blend action, comedy and romance. It’s a very difficult line to walk, but Ringo Lam handles it well by simply maintaining a coherent plot and comedy that doesn’t undermine the serious aspects of the story.

The action is well choreographed from its over-the-top boat chases to hand-to-hand combat that takes its cues from Jackie Chan films. One fight uses a range of physical props like fruits and umbrellas, Looney Tunes sound effects and catchy show tune music and it successfully blends the entertaining, professional choreography with funny gags and physical humor.

The variety of eccentric characters heightens the comedy and never lets the film get boring. HK regulars play the parts of anyone from a nervous thief to a perverted agent and a dancing gangster couple. Simon Yam snaps his fingers and tap dances in a bright pink suit and it’s ridiculous and somehow probable in this world at the same time. The sheer number of these characters make for endless combinations with their one-note jokes in different circumstances.


The Bad?
It’s hard to really care about any of the characters. Shu Qi meeting the love of her life is last on the list of our concerns with so many things happening on the side. The film sacrifices the depth of its characters for the variety and the constant situation comedy, and that does make up for it.




B+