Sealed with a Kiss (1999)
Hong Kong filmmaker Derek Chiu directs this quiet romance that recalls the gentle style of Francois Truffaut. Young and attractive Mandy (Yo Yo Mung) flees the hustle of Hong Kong proper and a failed relationship for the bucolic quiet of Peng Chau, one of several dozen communities located on the former colony's outlying islands. There she stays in a rooming house with the mute and slightly slow Kam Shui (Louis Koo). In spite of herself, she falls for the misfit, much to the consternation of Angel (Siu Au), Kam Shui's tomboyish best friend who also harbors feelings for him. Chiu masterfully brings out the nuances of life on the island in this simple tale, simply told.
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Reviews
I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.
The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.
The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.
The film may be flawed, but its message is not.
I'm deeply touched by the sense of freshness and originality of this Hong Kong movie. Although I don't really like the script, the director has done an excellent job. There isn't one dragging moment in the film -all precise and meaningful. Louis Koo did a good job portraying a mute, naive and crude village boy. I think he is too handsome for this role though. And as a result, the uncourageous and regretful love story between the two lovers seems to make no sense.
"Sealed with a Kiss" is about relationships that could never be. The movie was somber and boring over-all. The first half was okay, however, the second half was slow and a little weird. The over-all acting was okay; Louis did a good job playing his character (who cannot speak).