Starring: Elanne Kwong Yeuk-lam, Janice Man Wing-san, Rex Ho Chun-wai, Jones Tsui Ching-hei Directed by: Oxide Pang Chun Category: IIA (Cantonese)
A filmmaker best known for flashy visuals gets back to basics in this unexpectedly innocent tale of friendship and love. Director-writer Oxide Pang Chun abstains from the dark flamboyance that made his reputation in early hits (in collaboration with twin brother Danny Pang Fat) such as Bangkok Dangerous (1999) and The Eye (2002).
In Basic Love, he turns his eye instead to a platonic triangle involving high school chums taking their first steps in the adult world. But the film's noble intentions and sincere execution do little to compensate for the picture's overall flatness and a feeling that we've seen it all before.
It's not so much that the narrative piles on such clich?s as best friends in love with the same guy or that one of the principals is afflicted with a fatal illness. Part of Basic Love's problem is that none of the three leads is terribly interesting. Or, rather, the scenario (co-authored by the director and Ko Yan) fails to capitalise on the protagonists' potential.
Ling (Elanne Kwong, far right) comes closest in terms of personality, possessing a vivacity that at times is endearing. June (Janice Man) is cute but dour and pallid. It is as if the filmmakers have no way of portraying introversion other than through dullness.
Somewhere in the middle is Rex (Rex Ho of pop group Square, centre right), the girls' long-time buddy and a budding musician. He has a wholesomeness usually not associated with celluloid rockers, and his devotion to his craft along with his loyalty to his pals might have been made more compelling.