A Bittersweet Lovestory / Political-social-economic Documentary.

A Very Interesting film. Not a straight forward love story! John is a British journalist living and working in Hong Kong, who gets sick of all the politics and money talk and quits his usual job to find some deeper meaning in Hong Kong.

Set during the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of china, there's lots of history and background wrapped up in the film which depending on your tastes you may or may not find interesting. I have to warn that you must have your brain switched on to enjoy this. It's best watched wide awake.

Threaded throughout the documentary stuff is the love story. John is madly in love with a Beautiful Chinese woman he can't have. (Gong Li) Their past is revealed in small episodes throughout the movie. Theres a fair bit of push and pull, moments of tension, heartache, relief and happiness as their story unfolds.

Meanwhile, John and his photographer friend trawl Hong Kong looking for the other side of the city, away from the money and politics. They interview real people and try to understand how the handover will effect the average person. They show you the other side of the city. What many women were doing to survive along with the chinese social stigma that comes with that.

Overall, an interesting and entertaining love story, and a realistic glimpse into how people were living in Hong Kong at this time. It is quite heavy going though. If you just want a tear jerker or Drama best look elsewhere. A good film if you're in the right mood.