Paul Magne Haakonsen
"Lost in Time" ("Mong bat liu") is a somewhat different movie compared to many other movies to make it out of Hong Kong, as it is not your average movie with sugar-coated romance or jaw-dropping action. Instead, you have a very heartfelt and passionate story that is told quite well. But even more so, it is really well acted and portrayed by the people hired for the various roles.The story in "Lost in Time" is about Siu Wai (played by Cecilia Cheung) whose life is abruptly turned upside down as a tragic accident befalls her fiancée Ah Man (played by Louis Koo). Taking on the responsibilities of her fiancée's job, Siu Wai finds herself working hard to manage the work of a mini-bus driver on the busy streets of Hong Kong. But managing work, the responsibility of raising her step-son and her budding romance with colleague Uncle Seven (played by Wai-Man Chan) is quite a challenge.Now, what works so well in "Lost in Time" is the storyline and the plot, because it is the type of story that you get drawn into, especially because it is a personal story and you immediately build up relationships to the characters in the movie. And hats off to Cecilia Cheung, as usual, but also Wai-Man Chan for their portrayal of the characters in the movie. They really carried the movie well, and it just wouldn't have been the same without them.Having lived and worked in Hong Kong for four years, and not being a stranger to riding these mini-buses, this movie took on a deeper interest and appeal for me. But still, even for someone not familiar with this, "Lost in Time" will prove to be a good movie that will sink into your heart and stay with you.For fans of Asian cinema and those of Hong Kong cinema, "Lost in Time" is a movie well worth watching. Especially if you need a change of pace from the usual action-packed movies and sappy romantic comedies that usually are seen coming from the Hong Kong cinema scene.
ebossert
My online rental queue is filled with hundreds of East Asian films, some of which I add without knowing all that much about them. When Lost In Time came in the mail, I was expecting a generic romance film. I am now very happy to confess that I was very, very wrong.The storyline itself is not particularly novel or original, but the character development here is outstanding. The filmmakers successfully used actions over words to build the foundations of the main characters. Cecilia Cheung is thrown into a very difficult situation early on. The introduction of her struggles, one after the other, adds significantly to her likability, and the viewer develops a deep concern for her wellbeing. No explicit conversations of her difficulties are even necessary because I experienced them with her. Ching Wan Lau comes off as an authentic gentleman who's good deeds are motivated by a rather complex history. The young boy did admirably and was extremely likable.There is one scene in particular, that takes place during the second half of the film, which I consider to be one of the greatest in the history of cinema. I rarely cry while watching films. Joint Security Area forced a few tears down my cheek, but "The Scene" in Lost In Time made me cry so profusely that I had to stop the film and take a break to regain my composure. It's that damn good! To be honest, Lost In Time hit me like a ton of bricks in a very positive and happy way. It has earned it's place as one of my favorite Romance films, and comes with my highest of recommendations.
Harry T. Yung
Spoilers Just to ensure that nothing is lost in translation, the Chinese title of Lost in Time, translated literally, is `Can't forget'.Ten years ago, director Derek Yee's (Tung-shing) tender tear-jerker C'est la vie, mon cheri (1994) catapulted Miss Hong Kong Anita Yuen to instant stardom through her winning best actress in the Hong Kong equivalent of Academy Award. Ten years later, Yee did it again, this time with six-year veteran but still fresh looking Cecilia Cheung in Lost in Time. Lau Ching-wan is the significant other in both, not looking a day older now than before, regardless of whether he is perpetually young or was prematurely old. How do the two movies compare? Let's start with the story. C'est is a sweet romance in its purest tradition. The small hurdle, her mother's objection, is finally broken down by his sincerity. Lost in Time is much less of a sweet love story, and even at the end, the two aren't exactly sure but are willing to try. Here we see the development of a tender relationship (but not without bumpers) that wanders tantalisingly at the doorsteps of romantic love, carefully and caringly depicted, a more matured treatment compared to C'est.I said Lau didn't change much, visually, in ten years. As to the two characters, while in both he plays an estranged spouse, Dai Fai in Lost in Time is more down-to-earth and mature. Kit in C'est is an angry artist coping out from the rat race, seeking refuge in self-imposed isolation and self-pity. Dai Fai, on the other hand, is a weathered mini-bus driver with a regrettable past, detached but not uncaring. Yuen, like nearly every single Miss Hong Kong before her and after her, ended up in the `entertainment circle' (a favourite Hong Kong phrase). Probably more talented than many, she was nevertheless considered owing her instant success to landing a role that allowed her to basically `be herself', Min, a girl with an unquenchable spirit.Cheung was not a beauty pageant contestant, which puts her in the minority among female stars. Discovered by comedy king Stephen Chow's talent scouts, she was cast as a prostitute in her debut, a daring move that pretty young things usually shun. This earned her the `best new-comer' award. She then continued to demonstrate that she can act. Six years later, she finally landed a role that won her best actress: Wai, a woman who has lost her husband to an accident struggling to survive with his six-year-old son from a previous marriage.As to the rest of the cast, C'est has a star-stud support cast including Carina Lau, Fung Bo-bo, Chun Pui, Ng Ka-lai and Silvia Chang. And these are not cameo roles but all have an important part to play, although maybe a little bit less for Lau and Chang. With strong performances all around, C'est has an edge in this department. Lost in Time also has Chun Pui, plus Paw Hee-ching, playing Wai's parents. While Chun Pui's roles in the two movies, as Min's uncle and Wai's father respectively, carry about the same weight, top-notch actress Paw Hee-ching is wasted in Lost in Time. Louis Koo playing Wai's husband killed in an accident is very much a cameo appearance. But they have a secret weapon, darling Daichi Harashima from Japan, who practically steals the heart of every female audience, playing Wai's six-year-old son acquired from her husband's previous marriage.The chief villain in C'est is cancer, and death. While under Yee's thoughtful direction, the ending is touching, it does not arise above melodrama. For Lost in Time, although the movie started with death, the chief villain is poverty. There are other obstacle in life too, but throughout the movie, there really isn't a crisis or climax as in C'est. Closest to one is Dai Fai's revelation to Wai of his delinquent past, how it drove his wife to desert him, taking their son with her. This revelation does not lead to anything earth shattering, but rather a sober re-assessment by Dai Fai and Wai of their relationship. The end is open-ended and upbeat, very much like that in one of my favourites last year, Taiwan's Blue Gate Crossing. As a life drama, Lost in Time is one notch above the melodrama C'est ten years ago.
Brad Crain
Fans of Lau Ching-Wan and Cecilia Cheung will probably be quite happy with this film. Although the theme about coming to terms with your life after the sudden loss of a loved one is tough, the film balances out the high drama with some humor. The scene where Ching-Wan shows Cecilia how to maximize her earnings on the minibus route was a high-point. Overall, this is my favorite Lau Ching-Wan film of the last couple of years. After all the goofy comedy he's done recently, it was nice to see him in a more serious, natural role. Cecilia is good as well. Louis Koo's small role as the dead guy may disappoint those wanting to watch the film for him. Although he's quite good, he's just not in the film very long. This is a good compliment to C'EST LA VIE MON CHERI, the 1993 film that Lau and director Derek Yee worked on. As a word of advice, it's probably not best to view both films on the same night, as the emotions could be somewhat overwhelming.
