Starring: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Shu Qi, Xu Jinglei
Director: Andrew Lau Wai-keung and Alan Mak Siu-fai
Category: IIB (Cantonese)
By far the slickest local release of 2006, this psychological thriller is a testament to both the sophistication and limitations of Hong Kong commercial cinema or, more specifically, the talented partnership of co-directors Andrew Lau Wai-keung and Alan Mak Siu-fai, and screenwriter Felix Chong Man-keung (who co-scripted with Mak). Like their Infernal Affairs trilogy, Confession of Pain is inhabited by upholders of the law who are not always what they seem, and who set in motion a sequence of events that unfolds in a manner so ultra-cool and fluidly cinematic that one doesn't want to shatter the glib illusion with over-analysis.
To reveal too much of the scenario would be a crime, for the plight of cop Hei (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) and ex-partner-turned-private eye Bong (Takeshi Kaneshiro) results in one of the most intricately plotted scenarios since, well, Infernal Affairs. There are elements of CSI in the investigation by Hei and Bong into a grisly murder, with personal implications reminiscent of the Hollywood classic Gaslight. The twists and turns are usually a step ahead of the audience, and even if one figures out the 'secret' long before the finale, the situations and characters are riveting enough to keep one intrigued. It's not so much a whodunnit as a 'why-he-dunnit', with the human element so potent that even when the mystery palls the viewer's interest remains strong.
Leung and Kaneshiro make an unexpectedly good screen team, leading one to wonder why they've never co-starred before (they didn't share significant screen time in 1994's Chungking Express). Leung's casting is an obvious choice, and he employs a subtle intensity to create a complex and nuanced portrayal. Kaneshiro, in a part that would have been ideal for Chow Yun-fat a decade ago, is so convincing as a tormented alcoholic that he is able to overcome the 'handicap' of his pin-up boy looks. Chapman To Man-chak, in a supporting role as the policeman supervising the murder case, injects a welcome dash of humour while never acting the buffoon.