'needing You'

Producer-director Johnnie To has recently made a name for himself on the festival circuit with such genre-bending crime films as "The Mission" and "A Hero Never Dies." But 10 years ago, he produced the romantic tragedy "A Moment of Romance," a thoroughbred melodrama that reduced teenage audiences to tears. That film's star, Andy Lau, is cast in a genial romantic comedy that occasionally pokes gentle fun at his earlier hit.

"Needing You" hung around the upper reaches of the Hong Kong chart for seven weeks, and should perform well in H.K. romance-friendly Asian territories like South Korea — provided the humor travels. The Johnnie To tag will draw some Western H.K. fans to the work, although newer viewers will likely by bemused by his move away from crime.

"Needing You" features singing-acting superstar — and now dot-com entrepreneur — Lau as a tough boss at the helm of an office full of gossipy women. A secretary, Kinki (Sammi Cheng, also a Cantonese-pop star), has problems getting a boyfriend, so man-of-the-world Andy offers her his advice. His technique is to play hard-to-get when it comes to relationships, and he willingly acts as a romantic mentor to Kinki.

He successfully helps her negotiate a couple of dates, but by this time, Kinki has fallen for Andy. Kinki then decides to use Andy's own methods to make him fall in love with her.

Although "Needing You" doesn't stray from mainstream fare, it's obvious that To couldn't resist the chance to experiment where he could. So To, co-director Wai Ka-fai and cinematographer Cheng Siu-keung keep the movie sparky by moving the camera all over the place. Colors are crisp and rich and lend a plastic, pop look that perfectly suits the slightly goofy story line.

As with many Hong Kong movies, a loose script means that the film is ultimately less sharp than it could have been. Hong Kong pictures are rushed into production as soon as stars are free; the script is a secondary consideration. Although Yau Nai-hoi's script is above par by local standards, fine-tuning could have doubled the punch of the finished product.

That said, the film is consistently funny. Hong Kong movie humor often veers toward slapstick and scatology, but "Needing You" plays it smart with witty situations and dialogue. A running gag about diners on the Chinese mainland eating skunks and cats' intestines may surprise viewers who thought that Westerners were the only ones inclined to make jokes about Chinese food. Some incidental characters, like a motorcycling matchmaker who calls himself "Cupid Express," also raise a laugh.

Romance has always been popular with the territory's teens-and-20s audience. But the '90s saw complaints that directors were unable to deliver satisfactory stories about modern love. Last year's hit romantic fantasy "Fly Me to Polaris" revitalized the genre, and "Needing You" takes it a step further down the path to sophistication.

"Needing You" was produced outside of To's own Milkyway Image production house for the China Star-run 100 Years of Film company. But it still makes good use of To's tight unit of in-house creatives. n