Review | Ready or Knot movie review: snarky relationship comedy has its moments, but perpetrates the very worst gender clichés
- Anselm Chan’s directorial debut plumbs the worst clichés about how men and women behave towards each other, even if in places it is very funny
- Its portrayal of lustful men who will do anything to avoid marriage, and insecure women who feel the need to trap their men into marrying, is in poor taste
2.5/5 stars
With this, his directorial debut, Anselm Chan Mou-yin – a regular screenwriter for Vincent Kok Tak-chiu’s lowbrow comedies such as House of Wolves and Keep Calm and Be a Superstar – looks ready to take the baton from Kong. With its extremely cynical views on courtship and marriage, Ready or Knot normalises the very worst clichés about men and women – and feels smug about doing so.
The dialogue-heavy melodrama begins with the wedding of the proudly promiscuous Grey Bear (Chu Pak-hong) and his strong, but painfully oblivious bride, Jenny (Hedwig Tam Sin-yin), at which the groom’s two best buddies, Guy (Carlos Chan Ka-lok) and Kin (Shum Ka-ki), meet their respective love interests, Ho-yee (Michelle Wai Sze-nga) and Jessica (Renci Yeung Sze-wing).
The story jumps forward five years to dwell on the relationship cul-de-sac that Ho-yee and Guy now find themselves in: she wants to wed, he wants nothing of it, and each is supported by their toxic pals, who scheme behind their backs. Hesitation about marriage has been a popular subject for Hong Kong filmmakers of late – for example in 29+1 and My Prince Edward – and their films were all significantly better than Ready or Knot.