Directed by Ann Hui, A Simple Life (Tao Jie) is a film based on the true story of a woman who worked her entire life as a servant for the family of Hong Kong film producer Roger Lee (who co-wrote the script with Susan Chan), looking after Lee in particular from childhood to adulthood with such affection and devotion that when she suffered a stroke in her later years, Lee and his family reversed their roles and looked after her.The film begins with Roger Leung (Andy Lau), an accountant in the film industry, who lives in an apartment in Hong Kong with an elderly woman he calls Ah Tao (Deanie Ip), a servant who has worked for his family since before he was even born and now works for him personally. He is leaving on an overnight trip for a business meeting on a new film project and they discuss what she should cook for him while he's gone. When he says he wants ox tongue, a particular favorite dish of his, she chidingly reminds him that he's supposed to be avoiding fatty foods, to which he responds by reminding her that she eats things she shouldn't even though she's supposed to be watching her cholesterol. After he leaves, Ah Tao begins preparing the requested dish anyway. The scene quickly establishes that the relationship between the two is one of long acquaintance, almost familial in the level of informal familiarity displayed.
When Roger returns from his trip however, he finds Ah Tao collapsed on the floor. He calls an ambulance and gets her to the hospital, where they determine that she's had a stroke and will need extensive care and rehabilitation. Suddenly the structure of their lives is disrupted. Ah Tao, who has never been dependent on anyone and has always looked after others, at first stubbornly insists that she should retire and move to a retirement home. And that she can pay her own way. But Roger knows that this is impossible and takes over, first finding a nursing home for her close to the apartment and the neighborhood she is familiar with. In a fortunate twist of fate, the nursing home turns out to belong to an old friend (Anthony Wong), a former actor who went into the nursing home business after he got too old for action films.
A lot of the film deals with how Ah Tao adjusts to the changes forced on her by her stroke, starting with living in the nursing home where nothing is familiar and she doesn't know anyone, and where she's dependent on others for things she used to do for herself. And then going through rehabilitation for her stroke, having to relearn how to do the most basic things. Deanie Ip gives a compelling performance, showing Ah Tao's anxieties at her new situation mainly with her eyes and her body language as she warily takes in her surroundings and the strangers she now lives with. I can't recall ever seeing a movie that more realistically depicts this experience, particularly from the point of view of the person going through it, and this alone would make A Simple Life well worth seeing. But there's far more to the film, which makes it all the more compelling.
Ann Hui's director's touch is very subtle, showing bonds of affection and compassion but never descending into cheap sentimentality. And never flinching away from the hard parts, which you instinctively know are coming. There's no musical score in the background to set any kind of artificial mood, there's only what you see unfolding on the screen. The film progresses like a series of snapshots, slices of life strung together. Ah Tao, on her first night at the nursing home, getting up and making her way to the restroom with difficulty but determined to do it on her own, then going from stall to stall to find one she deems clean enough. Roger suddenly having to do his own laundry for the first time in his life, having to read a manual to learn how to use the washing machine. A bunch of Roger's friends from high school come over to the apartment to share the ox tongue Ah Tao had prepared, reminisce about all the different delicious dishes she'd fixed for them back in those days, then impulsively call her at the nursing home, singing to her through Roger's cell phone. Ah Tao coming back to visit the apartment and the first thing she does is to check for dust that's accumulated in her absence, tutting disapprovingly.
The nursing home, initially bleak, cramped and alien, gradually takes on moving depth as Ah Tao gets to know the other residents, each of whom has a story of their own. One old woman has been there for over twenty years, through three changes of ownership, and has not once had a visitor. A daughter visits her mother there, always ending up arguing because her mother signed everything over to her favored son who never visits but it's her daughter who's ended up having to pay the bills. An older woman turns out to be a visitor coming to see her much younger daughter who's in the nursing home because of a debilitating medical condition. A former headmaster's mind tends to wander unfocused but he quotes long passages from poetry and literature with ease. And last but far from least, an older man called Uncle Kin (Paul Chun), determined to hang on to every last bit of vitality he possesses, singing and dancing around... and always cadging money off of the other residents and even their visitors so he can sneak out and have a quickie with a young woman. And yet for all his clownish hustling, it's Uncle Kin who ends up making one of the most touching gestures in the film.
But a lot of what makes A Simple Life work is the portrayals of Andy Lau and Deanie Ip. Lau's Roger and Ip's Ah Tao have a lot of resonance and you can feel the things that bond them together. Ah Tao was an orphan when she began working for the Leung family and so has never had a family of her own beyond the one she's worked for all her life. And Roger is the only member of his family still living in Hong Kong, the rest having apparently emigrated to the US where they now live in San Francisco. Both of them are in a very real sense alone, and it is only with each other that they feel at ease. And when Roger visits Ah Tao at the nursing home and the people there comment that he is a dutiful nephew or godson, it's telling that he does not correct their impression. The naturalness that Lau and Ip bring to the relationship between Roger and Ah Tao comes from the fact that the actors have worked together many times over the years, and that Ip is Lau's real-life godmother.
A Simple Life doesn't moralize, or attempt to make any big points, or relate any grand tale. If anything, it's a kind of mosaic, reminding us that a life, any life, is composed of a lot of little pieces, and that it's all those pieces that make a life what it is. Highly, highly recommended.
Ah Tao has been taking care of Roger since he was a baby. With other family members scattered all over the world, Roger alone lives in Hong Kong. Ah Tao cooks and cleans for Roger living in a small apartment room, but when she has a stroke, she quits the job and enters a home for the elderly.
Based on the producer Roger Lee Yan-Lam's life, the deceptively simple story has a lot to offer, including keenly observed accounts of ordinary people. What makes this film special is the chemistry between the stars Deannie Yip and Andy Lau. Their rapport is so genuine and natural. Every small detail including the gestures and silence of the characters tells us about Ah Tao and Roger's mother-son-like relationship that is drawn affectionately. Nothing is sappy or sentimental. Everything in the film is so true to life, reminding us of someone close to us, or small events that you have almost forgotten.
The film also has many amusing cameos including Sammo Hung and Tsui Hark as "film directors." Anthony Wong and Chapman To, stars of "Infernal Affairs," both briefly appear as the home's owner and a dentist respectively. You will see familiar faces like Lan Law and Angela Baby (very briefly), as well as Hong Kong film producer Raymond Chow.
In short, "A Simple Life" is a touching drama with a theme that everyone can relate to, describing the way life goes on, with some gentle laughs and genuine insight.
Buy A Simple Life (2012) (2011) Now
Filmmaker Ann Hui as had a number of films that have resonated strongly with viewers.Her films typically take on a subject that showcase a darker side of Hong Kong. Films such as "July Rhapsody" (teacher/student relationship), "Goddess of Mercy" (justice), "Night and Fog" (murder) and "All About Love" (single mothers, same sex marriages).
With the film "A Simple Life", which was written by Susan Chan and Yan-lam Lee, Ann Hui takes on life and taking care of an older loved one who is sick.
One of the most recognizable things that Asian cinema fans will discover about Ann Hui's work is her ability to find the right talent to play the role of the main characters, in this case, Andy Lau ("Infernal Affairs", "House of Flying Daggers", "The Warlords") and Deannie Yip ("Dragons Forever", "Crying Heart").
"A Simple Life" would win the Volpi Cup for Best Actress Award for Deannie Yip and the La Navicella Award for Anna Hui at the 68th Venice International Film Festival; winner for Best Director, Best Leading Actor and Best Leading Actress at the 48th Golden Horse Awards and was included in Roger Ebert's top 10 list for 2012.
VIDEO:
"A Simple Life" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1 aspect ratio). Shot with a Red One camera, where one will see this film look incredible is through the closeups. From the facial details to overall textures of the clothing, you can see amazing detail. Colors are warm and I detected no banding or aliasing. Cinematography from Nelso Yu Lik-wai ("Still Life", "Dream Home") was great when either capturing human emotion or frailty, Hong Kong during Chinese New Year. If anything, this one of the most beautiful films from HK that I have seen on Blu-ray.
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
"A Simple Life" is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Dolby Digital 2.0. As one would expect from a film such as "A Simple Life", there are times that not many words are said on screen. It's about facial expressions during the quiet settings but the film is primarily dialogue driven with the exception of a brief fireworks scene that utilizes the surround and actually sounds fantastic. But aside from that one scene, this is a dialogue driven film.
Subtitles are in English.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
"A Simple Life" come with the following special features:
Trailer (2:14) The theatrical trailer for "A Simple Life".
JUDGMENT CALL:
Growing up with traditional Asian values in America, it was always ingrained by my grandfather at an early age that our responsibility was to take care of the family when they get older.
Watching "A Simple Life", the film was quite profound because it captured the essence of aging and frailty but also family.
In this case, a servant that has been with the family since a young age, taking care of four generations and as family have scattered around the world, the aging servant, Ah Tao, now stays with film producer, Roger.
Roger has been raised by Ah Tao and even at 70, she continues to cook, clean and shop for him, even take care of him and keep him healthy after having a heart attack. But now, the roles are reversed and after Ah Tao suffers a stroke and wants to live in a nursing home, Roger makes sure that she knows family is nearby. Even if it's just him, he wants to give back to the woman who had taken care of him.
She may not be of the same blood, but he regards her as close family.
And what I enjoy about this film is the contrast of how films about elderly are shown in America versus Hong Kong. In America, we tend to see the banality of films of elderly abuse to a family disconnect and the loneliness that the elderly is facing.
While we do see that loneliness of various elderly in this film, its more of seeing things through the eyes of Ah Tao and a wonderful performance by actress Deanie Ip who communicates through eye movement and facial expression.
After suffering a stroke, Ah Tao is able to rehabilitate but while living at the senior home, it's that feeling that this is a place you are going to die, the people around you are also going to die very soon and it's all about time.
But unlike other seniors who suffer from Alzheimer's or dementia, Ah Tao still has quite a bit of life. She is able to make friends but she enjoys the time that she spends with Roger, because he can joke with her, eat lunch or dinner with her and he brings her along to places, including a film premiere.
But it's the portrayal of Ah Tao that captivates the viewer. She is a woman who has lived as a good servant. Never the type to take gifts or even cash, she wants to pay things her own way and do it herself. Granted, Roger takes care of the costs at the senior home because it's quite expensive but for Ah Tao, she is a woman who doesn't want to be a burden to Roger or the family.
She's a strong woman who is calling the shots of how her life is to be lived, no matter how hard it is for Roger and family who treated this woman like family to accept.
And we see that bond between Ah Tao and Roger as she spends time in the Senior home and seeing how she deals with loneliness or knowing that people around her will not be around that long.
As Deanie Ip is remarkable in this role, Andy Lau looks like a man who has never aged. At 51, he still looks like he's 30-something. But aside from the gun or sword-toting characters or the suave playboy or businessman roles that he tends to play, Lau plays the role of a caring man, a film producer but one that doesn't live like fame has changed him. Still wearing a backpack and coat, he is often mistaken as a taxi driver or air conditioning repair employee, suffice to say, this is the most subdued role that he plays amazingly well.
For Asian cinema fans, also intriguing are the supporting actors and guest cameos in this film. Anthony Wong, Angela Baby, Raymond Chow, Wing-Chiu Chan, Sammo Hung, Stanley Kwan, Chapman To, Hark Tsui, to name a few.
While I loved the film, there were a few scenes that probably could have been edited out as they served no true purpose (but to show more cameos), but for the most part, this is a very good film that I have found nothing negative to say about it.
The film reminds me a bit of my family who left behind servants because they moved to America but even to this day, my mother talked about the servants (the good ones) who took care of the family and how she visits or communicates with them today.
As for the Blu-ray release, the picture quality is fantastic and for Asian cinema from Well Go USA Entertainment, this is the best film I have seen on Blu-ray from the company in which detail was amazingly captured via Red One but also the cinematography is well-done and lossless audio is crisp and clear. I wish there were more special features but considering many Asian cinema on Blu-ray (released in the U.S as of late.) rarely have them, at least a trailer was included.
Overall, "A Simple Life" is a profound film from director Anna Hui that captures the story of the elderly, aging and frailty but also human nature. Featuring a fantastic performance by actress Deanie Ip, "A Simple Life" is a fantastic film that is worth owning on Blu-ray!
Read Best Reviews of A Simple Life (2012) (2011) Here
Ah Tao (Deanie Ip) has been attending to Roger's (Andy Lau) family for 60 years. As a movie producer who is always going to meetings out of town, Roger seems to take Ah Tao's maid services for granted; that all changes when Ah Tao has a stroke, retires, and willingly decides to live in a retirement home. Now with their roles reversed, Roger is unsure whether he'll be able to tend to Ah Tao the way she did to his family for generations while Ah Tao just wants to avoid being a burden. However their bond only grows stronger with the role reversal and their relationship seems to amplify because of it.Andy Lau has become fairly well-known in the states for his performances in the crime trilogy "Infernal Affairs," action films such as "Fulltime Killer," "The Legend of Drunken Master," and "Shaolin," the comedy "God of Gamblers," and the mystery film "Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame." Like most stars from Hong Kong who are approaching middle age, Lau has practically made a permanent jump to the dramatic genre in recent years where his career is suddenly more performance driven rather than taking as much of a physical toll as the films from his past.
The chemistry between Andy Lau and Deanie Ip along with the superb writing of "A Simple Life" is what makes the film worth seeing. The drama probably isn't exactly the type of film that would usually appeal to your interests, but it feels so genuine and is so structurally based in reality that you can't help but realize how strong the film really is. The relationship between Ah Tao and Roger is incredible. Their laughter, the endless amount of stories they have for one another, and that tearful look in their eyes whenever something even remotely sentimental comes up is just extraordinary. The two actors do an outstanding job of portraying two people who seem to have known each other forever. Meanwhile the writing illustrates the ups and downs anyone's everyday life could possibly have. Life throws you curveballs and it isn't always a cake walk, but you deal with it the best you can and try to enjoy the little things since you know they won't be around forever. "A Simple Life" adds weight to that aspect. Sometimes the simplest things in life are the most enjoyable.
The film is mostly Roger traveling nonstop while Ah Tao tries to busy herself while he's away. They seem to gripe at each other constantly until Ah Tao has her stroke and then they're always laughing around each other while only growing closer in the process. Seeing the likes of Tsui Hark and Sammo Hung have special appearances in the film is a nice surprise, but the bits of humor the film threw at you when you least expected it are a nice surprise as well. Roger getting mistaken for the AC repair man and the search for a new maid were pretty humorous, but Ah Tao observing the other tenants at the retirement home is where the film's funniest moments reside. You see two old men get into an escalated argument, another use the wrong pair of false teeth to eat his dinner, and the rather eccentric Uncle Kin (Paul Chun) whose communicating antics and persistent desire to borrow HK$300 from everyone around him makes the supporting character extremely memorable.
"A Simple Life" has this incredible charm to it that not only has you admiring the relationship between Ah Tao and Roger but also the weight it puts into its heartfelt message. Driven by the fantastic performances of Andy Lau and Deanie Ip and its authentic writing, "A Simple Life" is the type of film you pop in to remind yourself that there is hope for the human race.
Want A Simple Life (2012) (2011) Discount?
This is one of those rare gems where characters are not only believable, but also winning in empathy. Contrast that with other slice-of-life HK movies that can border on trivial, inane, and narcissistic.Save 34% Off
No comments:
Post a Comment