Fear of Intimacy (Tsui tsong aan chin yen)
Starring Tony Leung Ka Fai, Michelle Saram, Mei Ching Lam
Written by Anna Lai & Directed by Vincent Chui


THE CASE: A romantic thriller out of Hong Kong about a soulful and talented photojournalist who becomes a sleazy, womanizing papparazzo after the love of his life disappears without a trace.


THE GOOD: The film starts out very dark and moody. The audience is immediately drawn in by Tony Leung Ka Fai’s character and can’t help but be intrigued by the haunting beauty of Mei Ching Lam. There is minimal exposition and maximum disposition, which is the perfect way to start off a romantic thriller. There is also a hot love scene at the beginning -- which is also another perfect way to start off a romantic thriller (no nudity though, sorry boys and some girls).


THE BAD: Unfortunately, all good starts don’t always lead to good middles and endings. The film slowly becomes more and more conventional and cliched as it advances and it doesn’t help that the moment the supporting cast opens their mouths, we realize what terrible actors they really are. Michelle Saram, who appears to be half-East Indian and half-Chinese is especially bad, but looks like she might be a good date on a Friday night.


THE LAW: If you are bored, and I mean extremely bored, one particular weekend -- then I would recommend checking out this film from 2004. If you have anything remotely interesting to do -- anything -- then I would do that instead. This film is a bore.