I'm slightly ashamed to say I only saw “A Moment of Romance” for the first time recently, but sometimes, one viewing will show you that classics are classics for a reason. Gratefully, I was able to watch Benny Chan's Hong Kong masterpiece on the big screen at the Far East Film Festival, where my mentors insisted it would blow me away. Rarely does this phrase find a footing in me as someone who tends to dwell on slow-moving, melancholic queer cinema, but I'm happy to admit that they were correct.
The story itself is simple: a wealthy young Hong Kong heiress, Jo-Jo (Jacklyn Wu) falls in love with a toughened-by-the-streets triad member, Wah Dee (Andy Lau). Drawn to each other but unwilling to get too close for fear of endangering the other, they become the epitome of star-crossed lovers. Wah Dee and Jo-Jo quickly learn that the world doesn't tolerate their romance, but that doesn't stop them from enjoying what they have.
It's impossible to envision “A Moment of Romance” without thinking about yearning. There is something primal about the protagonists' desires to love and be loved without obstacles that make the film so enticing. In many ways, it is the stuff of cruel fantasies — the attempt to overcome so much to achieve a love so grand, so impossible, and knowing from the start that it is doomed. Yet every step of the way, something very human drives the characters forward, like pushing two magnets of similar poles endlessly closer without being unable to touch.
From the beginning of the movie, Chan puts his best foot forward, starting the tale with a blazingly fast motorcycle chase sequence that shows the viewer what Hong Kong cinema has to offer. It's a creative choice for a film that does not actually focus that much on stunts, despite including some great ones, but it sets up the audience for a whirlwind of a movie. However, the most striking element of the film is undoubtedly its haunting theme music, composed by Lo Tayu and sung by Shirley Yuen, and complemented by several other impassioned rock songs. Its iconic ending sequence, where Wah Dee and Jo-Jo speed down the highway in Wah Dee's motorcycle wearing wedding attire with crooning backing music accompanying their misfortunes, is emblazoned in my mind. Beyond the fantastic cinematography by a three-man team (Joe Chan, Horace Wong, and Patrick Jim) and editing by Wong Ming-kong, which bring to the film a sense of urgency and ephemerality in its 91-minute runtime, the music just lingers.
Of course, one mustn't forget the performances themselves, where Andy Lau brings a tender yet masculine stoicism to his role, while Jacklyn Wu acts as his naive but persistent foil and love interest. It's easy to get swept away in their chemistry, where sometimes a glance has viewers rooting for them faster than a second of dialogue. Ng Man-tat also makes an incredible showing as Rambo, the sidekick-cum-jester character who tends to steal every scene.
Put simply, “A Moment of Romance” has it all — fiery action and stunt sequences, an unforgettable love story, quick-witted humor, a beautiful score, sweeping cinematography, and more. It is a must-watch that I would venture to guess touches at the basest desires of so many viewers, in some way, and nothing short of epic.
