The Lovers

Hark always does things a little differently from the rest. For the most part, The Lovers is a very typical Hong Kong comedy, warts and all. Silly humor, exaggerated performances, and a nonsensical plot combine to make a fun comedy romp. But the film isn't as loud and in-your-face as most of its peers, which is why the eventual drama works better than expected.

Chu's dad wants his daughter to get married, but there are no interested parties. As a last resort, he disguises his daughter as a boy and sends her to school. There she meets Liang, who slowly falls for Chu's charm. Liang is confused though, as he doesn't know that Chu is actually a girl, and she is afraid to reveal her true identity to him.

If you don't care for Hong Kong comedy The Lovers won't convert you, otherwise this is a film that holds a few nice surprises. The actors do a solid job, the comedy is fun, and the pacing is on point. It's typical genre work with a little twist, the thing I've come to expect from Hark's better films. Not a true masterpiece, but enjoyable genre filler indeed.