Much has been speculated about Johnnie To since the release of “Three” in the summer of 2016. The ongoing urban legend about filming “Election 3” was one of the rumors, of course, as it was the releasing of an omnibus with other Hong Kong directors or – worst – his decision to retire from the scenes. Rumors didn't stop, if anything intensified, when in November the first trailer of “Chasing Dream” was released a bit out of the blue. Said rumors turned then into conspiracy theories (much trendier at the moment, I suppose) about his latest work but they will not be mention here; director To is old and wise enough to decide what to do. So, finally, the latest Milkyway production “Chasing Dream”, directed by Johnnie To and his frequent collaborator Wai Ka-fai is having its international premiere in Udine, a Festival very dear to To's heart.
“Chasing Dream” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival 2020
A screaming crowd around an MMA octagon opens uncompromisingly the narration focused on Lu Hu, A.K.A. Tiger (Jacky Heung) the young fighter on the ring who quickly defeats his opponent with an amazing Spinning Revolver, a gravity-defying lock. Tiger is indeed a good fighter and regarded as a goose that lays the golden eggs and personal debt collector by his mob coach Ga Qiang (Bin Zi). But that night one of the octagon girls grabs Tiger's and Ga's attention as they quickly recognize her as one of the boss' debtors. Cuckoo Du (played by Keru Wang) is in fact in big trouble, she is homeless, owns money to that bunch of thugs and she had all the beautiful songs she wrote stolen by her spineless ex-boyfriend who is now a screen celebrity and judge of a TV Talent show. Boss suggests selling her to get his money back (as you do!), but Tiger insists that there must be something she can do to make the money and pay her debt – how kind of him!
Not really love at first sight, but as the events unfold, they slowly start to appreciate each other's qualities. Tiger, who wants (does he really?) to quit boxing as he risks losing his eyesight – does it remind you of anything? – decides to help Cuckoo entering the Perfect Diva Talent Show competition and get revenge on her compulsive plagiarist ex. In his mind she will become his own golden goose and allow him to open a hot pot restaurant. At the same time a subplot revolving around the countryside origins of the two ambitious protagonists shows us their admirable engagement with their roots, being Tiger's boxing master and Cuckoo's grandmother.
As expected, things will get in the way and the two will be challenged greatly and will have to prove their commitment with their own dreams and with each other.
“Chasing Dream” is a distinctly Chinese-flavoured hot pot, composed of a mixture of many boxing drama tropes (especially that well-known American long saga, but let's just don't mention it for a change), many To's plotlines from previous films, the popular realm of X Factor-style music competition franchises and a sprinkle of Bollywood. In fact, if director To could get one penny every time the audience spots a reference, he wouldn't need to charge for the entrance ticket. This is not all bad, as we love repetitions; it is sweet being enveloped by familiar waters and drown happily in them, but this hot pot, despite being very colourful, lacks a bit in hot spices.
As the title spoon-feed us, the two protagonists are chasing their dreams and helping each other to fulfill them. However, at a closer look, the dreams they are chasing remain somehow surrounded by mist. Does Tiger want to be an MMA champion, or open a hot pot restaurant? Or just avenge his sifu and get into Cukoo's pants? And does Cuckoo want to win the singing contest or get revenge on her ex? Does she want to see Tiger as a champion or see Tiger as a healthy and loving partner? Or, ultimately, to paraphrase her final song, “your dream is to fulfil mine, that is to fulfil yours”? In this confused matryoshka of ambitions and aspirations two constants emerge; one is an echo to that modern-time aggressive virus called “fear of under-achieving” and one is the revenge as a perpetual motor. The latter is a dynamic that fits well in movies, the former is a concept that seem to agree a lot with modern China. So, here we go!
There is no need in digging too deep however, this is primarily a commercial product, and very well crafted as such. To directs this ensamble of powerful fights, catchy pop songs, staged dance routines and even some entertaining cooking “celebrity-chef-style” with the expected masterful touch, aided by a crisp and explosive photography curated by Cheng Siu-keung.
The world of MMA fights provides a cool and colorful backdrop, opposed to the rural and rusty boxing gym of the old master, and the pit fights are quite spectacular, as MMA goes, and full of kinetic energy. The candy-pop scenery is an impressive studio construction that conveys the feeling of a dreamy imaginary place, while the humble home-places of the two young ones are left in realistic mode. A pinch of sour sense of humor is retained in the character of one of the musical contestants who literally consumes her body more and more every time she appears on stage; shame it results a bit washed-down in the whole ode to working-hard-to-be-successful life-style.
The cast of “Chasing Dream” is not widely known to audience outside China and the two protagonists – albeit not proper newcomers – are at the beginning of their careers. This lack of an anchor point in the form of the familiar recurrent faces of To's works, could prove disconcerting to the director's hard-boiled fans. Jacky Heung delivers a powerful physical performance; handsome and athletic, he indeed possess the phisique du role, although his persistent feline grin becomes tiresome after a (short) while. Keru Wang does her best, she is a talented singer and dancer (she was in Feng Xiaogang's “Youth”) and she is adequate to the role but it's difficult to shake out the unpleasant feeling that her character is a bit underdeveloped and shallow.
All in all, “Chasing Dream” is a well-crafted popcorn romantic comedy/melodrama, with a striking and charming visual and effervescent pace, undoubtedly targeted at a young Mainland China market but also to whoever feels the need for a blast of bubblegum pop music and energetic fights for your dreams, whatever they might be.
