Where a Good Man Goes

Johnnie To takes a typical crime setup and adds a more dramatic twist. Not too many directors are capable of pulling that off, certainly not in Hong Kong. The ease with which he goes about it shows what a skillful director he is, even when the execution here isn't quite on the same level as some of his later films.

Michael is a former Triad boss who spent quite some time in prison. When he finally gets out, he finds himself a small apartment where he hopes to reboot his life. It doesn't take long before he falls back into his old ways. His landlord sees the danger and tries to show him there is more to life that being a big shot gangster.

Don't take it too literally, but there were moments this felt a bit like a Ki-duk film, with a central character who isn't too likeable, but gains the respect of the audience regardless. The night scenes look pretty lush, the soundtrack stands out and the performances are on point. It lacks that final bit of polish, other than that a very good film.