A Roof with a View
Director: Tony Au Ting-ping
Year: 1993
Rating: 7.5
Tony Leung Ka-Fai
and Veronica Yip star in this very sweet and enjoyable romantic tale of two
lonely people in search of love and someone to care for them. Both of their
performances are absolutely enchanting and are the main strength of the film.
The story itself is very low-key – slow developing – and without many dramatic
moments. Instead it just follows in an almost nonchalant fashion the relationship
that grows between the two of them but eventually makes you care very much
about the outcome.
Tony plays this very open, very caring HK cop who has been traumatized by
seeing his partner – Kent Cheng – commit suicide in front of him. They were
good friends and Tony often visits his friend’s grave during the film to
discuss his problems. Veronica’s character is a bit more complex – a single
mother of a young son from a long gone triad member – slightly lower class
- a little ditzy - somewhat promiscuous – but with a very good if confused
heart. As she says to Tony at one point “I know what men are. But I could
never tell a good man from a bad man”. Veronica Yip is so good here – a very
underrated actress in my opinion – as she portrays this character who yearns
for something more out of life, something better, something finer and begins
to slowly try and change her life.
There are the requisite complications of
course – the old boyfriend (Ray Lui) comes back, Tony thinks she is not interested
in him, she thinks he is only interested in sex with her – but sometimes true
love does find a way.
And there is not a lot more to it than that
– some great acting, some poignant wonderful moments – a small tale of love
out there in the real world.
