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Once A Thief
1991
A close-knit trio of dashing art thieves (Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, and Cherie Chung) undertake one last lucrative job before their planned retirement, only to be torn apart when the heist goes awry as the result of a double-cross from their criminal mentor. Once reunited, the team resolves to get revenge. ONCE A THIEF .. Read more
| Starring | Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, Cherie Cheung |
|---|---|
| Director | John Woo |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller, World Cinema |
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Once A Thief
A close-knit trio of dashing art thieves (Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, and Cherie Chung) undertake one last lucrative job before their planned retirement, only to be torn apart when the heist goes awry as the result of a double-cross from their criminal mentor. Once reunited, the team resolves to get revenge. ONCE A THIEF showcases a more comical side of Woo, who packs his script with screwball double-entendres that translate shakily from Cantonese but retains his facility for deft action photography and his thematic interest in friends trying to remain loyal in a world full of betrayal. Also features Woo's trademark gratuitous tearjerking montages set to sappy Cantopop ballads.
| Starring | Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, Cherie Cheung |
|---|---|
| Director | John Woo |
| Studio | E1 ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 44 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller, World Cinema |
| Language | DVD: Cantonese |
| Dubbed | English |
| Hearing-impaired | English |
| Subtitles | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 10 Jan 2005 Production year: 1991 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (3)
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John Woo remade this five years later for TV, yet wasn't able to touch this light-hearted caper movie, atypical for him. Beginning in France, three crooks (Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, and Cherie Chung), who were raised as thieves after each being orphaned in their childhood, plan one last caper to steal a valuable painting … but things don't work out smoothly, both with the plan and with the affection both men feel for their female member. Woo goes for comedy and less violent action in this effort, and the result is alternately charming and hilarious, frequently simultaneously. Those expecting the standard grandiose Woo shoot-outs will be disappointed — until the surprisingly violent climax.
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A mix of crime caper and romantic comedy, of minimal appeal other than to aficionados of its cultish director's delight in unlikely violence.
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Most helpful member's review
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Great laugh!
I'm sorry to say, but to enjoy this movie, you have to know the Cantonese language, as the jokes and comments lose their comedy edge when translated to English. Thus, I do understand why non-Cantonese speaking people rate this movie as 'horrible'.
It's a great, funny action comedy! -
Most recent members' review
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4 out of 6 people found this review helpful
one of the worst Ive seen
This has to be the most boring , contrived tripe I've watched in a long time. The story is disjointed, the action scenes are as exciting as TV adverts, and the dialogue although dubbed could have been written by a 5 year old. Utter tosh.
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Once A Thief
A close-knit trio of dashing art thieves (Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, and Cherie Chung) undertake one last lucrative job before their planned retirement, only to be torn apart when the heist goes awry as the result of a double-cross from their criminal mentor. Once reunited, the team resolves to ...
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