Sparrow (2008)
Sparrow (2008) 7/10
Sparrow is not a “regular” Johnnie To film. For one, its a whimsical and beautifully shot comedy. Those expecting something like Exiled, Election or Running out of Time might get quite a shock at how different it is from his usual style. Sparrow is the ultimate style over substance film. The plot is essentially a wafer thin distraction that gets us from point A to point B. Instead, the true beauty is how Johnnie To lovingly depicts HK and shoots the stylized sequences. Cinematography is beautiful and Johnnie To captures a slice of life of everyday HK. It is a “fun” albeit lightweight film which goes more for mood than plot. Lest this feels a tad like Wong Kar Wai, Johnnie To carves out his own style and comes up with an occasionally funny and beautifully whimsical flick. Simon Yam especially looks like he’s having a real good time starring in this movie and although the plot is utterly inscrutable and mostly does not make sense, it doesn’t matter because the movie is so much fun. Look out for longish takes and a memorable sequence involving Simon Yam with an umbrella crossing a street. Ultimately, this film is Johnnie To -lite. While it may not be quite a masterpiece, it does serves as a fun and forgettable distraction.
Nice review.
Comment by 1minutefilmreview — September 27, 2008 @ 12:52 am