This excellent HK flick is a rockin’ 60’s period piece. Eternally young Leslie Cheung is a “Teddy-Boy,” a juvenile triad who spends his days hitting on women, getting into gang fights, and generally being disrespectful to society. He finds himself clashing with Sam Wong, the evil triad son of a respected businessman. Sam does all sorts of nasty things like dealing drugs, raping women, and being disrespectful to everyone. Lam Sir (Charles Heung), the local juvenile cop, wants to put Sam away, but he can’t because his superiors are in Sam’s Dad’s pocket. Though a bit corrupt himself, he finds himself caught between justice and his agenda-seeking corrupt superiors. Vivian Chow is Leslie’s girl, who tastes the folly of going steady with a Teddy Boy. 

Despite the fact that Leslie Cheung and Vivian Chow are too old for their roles, they both serve the film well. Cheung seems right at home with his character, which is interesting in relation to his award-winning role in Days of Being Wild only a year earlier. In that film, his disaffection grew from abandonment from his mother. In this film, mom (Deannie Yip) is present and accounted for, but the same unswerving love/hate is what drives his rebellion. Former triad and head of Win’s Entertainment Charles Heung (whom you might remember as Lone Ng from the God of Gamblers movies) is terrific as Lam Sir. The film is ultimately as fluffy as it is irreverent, making it somewhat of an empty ride. But it’s a good ride. (Kozo 1997)

image courtesy of Mei Ah Laser Disc Co., Ltd.