User reviews

BISHONEN (Mei Shao Nian Zhi Lian)

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Sound format: Dolby Digital

Inspired by a scandal in the Happy Valley area of Hong Kong, in which a wealthy playboy was found to have taken thousands of photographs of police officers posed in various states of undress, BISHONEN is nothing less than a romantic homage to male beauty: Stephen Fung plays a handsome prostitute whose vanity is breached after he falls in love with an equally attractive young cop (Daniel Wu) who is closeted from his old-fashioned parents (Kenneth Tsang and Chiao Chiao) and wary of forming new relationships due to events in his recent past, events which finally catch up with him in the worst possible way.

Directed by photographer-turned-filmmaker Yonfan (BUGIS STREET, PEONY PAVILION), this unusual film was actually promoted as a spectacle for *female* viewers, though the narrative is defiantly Queer in tone and construction, and unfolds with all the melodramatic excess of a 'Harlequin' romance. While Yonfan's script and direction may seem hopelessly naive to some Western viewers, his painterly eye uncovers the beauty in HK's urban sprawl, as well as the physical attributes of the actors themselves, and some of the images of languid young men are genuinely intoxicating. Terence Yin (HOT WAR) plays an aspiring pop singer who leads Wu astray from an old boyfriend (Jason Tsang) during a long flashback sequence explaining Wu's melancholy demeanor, prompting a number of oblique references to actor-singer Leslie Cheung, whose suicide in 2003 ended the long career of one of HK's most beloved gay icons. In fact, Yonfan uses the milieu of HK's sexual 'underworld' to comment on the former colony's clandestine gay scene, and the ways in which it has been downplayed (or hideously stereotyped) by an overtly conservative media. Gay fans of HK cinema have always relished the voluptuous splendor of Asian film stars (Bruce Lee, Alexander Fu Sheng, Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse, countless others) and the homoerotic undercurrents which fuel hundreds of tough guy action movies and sensitive dramas (despite what some blinkered western critics would have you believe); BISHONEN drags the implication out of its closet and exposes it to the clear light of day.

Many scenes are unscripted and/or shot guerrilla-style on the streets of HK, and while some of these vignettes are rendered inconsequential by unskilled actors, the script's emphasis on the redeeming power of love is both heartfelt and charming. However, the closing scenes - in which a leading character makes a tragic error of judgment - will strike some viewers as regressive and unnecessary, though the situation is entirely believable in the context of Eastern sensibilities. Shu Qi (SKYLINE CRUISERS, THE EYE 2) plays the only significant female role in the movie, a lesbian who acts as a go-between for Fung and Wu, and the movie is narrated by Brigitte Lin (famous for the sexually fluid roles she has played in countless movies); HK film critic Paul Fonoroff also appears, in a brief cameo role. Along with Wong Kar-wai's HAPPY TOGETHER (1997), this was one of the first HK films to depict gay sex in an explicit manner, though some of the supporting players are clearly uncomfortable during moments of supposed intimacy. However, Wu has no such inhibitions: He's stripped to his underwear on numerous occasions (revealing a beautiful, gym-toned body) and shares a couple of detailed sexual encounters - a memorable shower scene with Yin, followed by a climactic make-out with Fung - which represent milestones in HK Queer Cinema.

In a country where careers are often made and unmade overnight, Fung and Wu have since become major players on the HK movie scene. Both were educated in America (Wu had only a rudimentary grasp of Cantonese when cast in BISHONEN, his first movie), and while both were selected by Yonfan primarily for their looks, they give strong performances in complex, difficult roles (Fung's character remains sympathetic despite his narcissism, while Wu is a haunted, tragic figure). Fung - the son of former Shaw Brothers actress Sek Yin - is quite simply *gorgeous beyond belief*, and his subsequent films (including blockbusters GEN-X COPS, THE AVENGING FIST and MY SCHOOLMATE, THE BARBARIAN) have assured him a place in the pantheon of HK teen idols, though his cool, insouciant beauty was never captured with more grace or allure than here. He turned director in 2001, co-helming the multi-episode HEROES IN LOVE before going solo on the well-received comedy-drama ENTER THE PHOENIX (2004), in which he cast Wu as the gay son of a dying Triad who resists his father's criminal legacy. Of the two, however, Wu is the more accomplished actor, another teen sensation whose career has encompassed everything from commercial juggernauts (PURPLE STORM, NEW POLICE STORY) to intimate 'Art-house' entries (BEIJING ROCKS, NIGHT CORRIDOR), and he's gained a reputation for playing sexual outsiders in unconventional films, earning him a sizeable gay following throughout SE Asia.

NB. The HK-English title BISHONEN is actually a Japanese word, which translates as - what else? - 'beautiful boys'.

(Cantonese dialogue)

I picked "Bishonen" up on DVD a few months ago when I was in Hong Kong and just finally got around to watching it last night. I'm not quite sure what I was expecting, but it exceeded whatever those expectations were.

More than anything else, I was very moved by the story insomuch as how it unfolded and how the actors carried the film in both their physical motions (basically how they carried themselves) and simple raw emotions (love, lust, revulsion).

The film was not glossy, but rather chose an almost realistic if not surreal background which complimented it incredibly. Much of it flowed quite smoothly and served to captivate the audience as much as the actors themselves.

Those of you wondering about the plot now that I've got all that out of the way, a male prostitute is roaming the streets of Hong Kong one day and exchanges looks with another young man who is shopping with someone who might be his girlfriend. For the next hour and 40 minutes, the relationship between the two men develop, expand to include other characters (another male prostitute, a Pop singer, a rather unusual photographer) and ultimately explore how are ultimately involved with each other.

This film doesn't exploit gay sex by showing needless amounts of it nor does it reduce it along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The DVD comes with Director's Commentary (of which I unfortunately don't understand a word of), Cast Information, Production Information, an interview with the director, some post card still shots, a photo collage and a couple of short films. The Video CD (if anyone is interested) also contains a film cell.

My Rating is an 8

The look of the film is glossy and polished as are the stars of the film. The story unfolds and follows the life of a young Hong Kong police officer as he gets involved with another young and cute guy. The ending line in the story is quite profound regarding love; knowing that you have found it, but not knowing where it will lead you. This is one I would like in my DVD collection.

This movie isn't easy to understand because it's a FLASHBACK type-movie. I had to watch it three times before I understand the story completely. This movie totally impressed me. Before watching the movie, I hesitated very much to watch it. Partly because I feel disgusted by the 'gay' 'lesbian' stuff... But after I watched it, I changed my mind and my way of thinking. That movie really helped me understand gay people's life, that there can be true love between boys, that it's not easy for gay people to accept themselves as being gay, and most of all, how to face their family and parents. This movie is absolutely amazing. It's a very very sweet love story, and a very touching drama. The ending is so sad that it rip off my heart. Anyway, I NOW accept homosexual people as Humans, not more as Aliens (like I did before)...

Straight model actors are certainly far removed from the typical gay man. I found as did many the actors to be beautiful, but that was the main attraction for the film. I found the substance of the film to be disappointing. Any character who was not beautiful was generally portrayed as one who prayed on those who were. A gay film that represents the diversity of gay people would have been much more to my liking.

i watched the movie because there's daniel wu, but i was really impressed by the story( i didn't know it's a gay movie). really touching towards the end. the director skillfully captured the beautiful moments of the actors. all actors are remarkably glamorous. if you're looking for story, this is up to standard. if you're looking for cute hunks, this is more than what you can ever want. if you're looking for skillful acting, it's quite disappointing since all are young actors, but they're still pleasure to eyes. eventually, one will learn to understand homosexuals more, which is the best lesson after watching the movie. definitely worth the time and money!

Are you tired of seeing films with pretty gay boys wandering through a Freshmen magazine glossy world who are constantly given the opportunity to take off their shirts? Well, I am and therefore this film was a disappointment. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious eye-candy but the boy-meets-boy boy-gets-boy boy-loses-boy storyline is tired and the characters are flat and dull. Will some film maker (other than the brilliant John Greyson) realize that the gay film-going audience wants more, needs more, and deserves more?

Hong kong films are mostly action packed, comedies, etc. I have never seen any hong kong films like this one before, this one is romantic, touching, a little bit of disconsolate.

I thought that Stephen Fung looks cute, so I wanted to watch this film. In the end, I start to like Daniel Wu better, he looks a little bit like andy lau, and he is shanghai boy.

The story is intertwined with each protagonists, and the love they have for each other is pure. The sex scenes are quite steamy, I doubt that they will make any gay films like this one in hong kong any more. The actors are really good, you would feel as if they are really homosexuals in real life.

I rate this a total 10. I feel that there won't be another film like this made in Hong Kong any more.

I just finished watching this a few hours back... I was sceptical to watch at first but it turn out to be much better than I expected... this is Daniel Wu most earliest work and yet he was great in it as for Stephen Fung too

You can't help but to finished up the movie to get where it ends.. like the popular saying rather to have loved and lost and never to love at all best describes the movie.. the struggle for Sam in the family is so surreal.. the expectation from the family the pressure Sam is giving to himself and finally succumbing to the ending was well written.. the final letter given to him for Jet for closure is so powerful and meaningful.

Loves that live in the heart cannot be so easily terminated by time... no one can change the direction.of love that lives in the heart.

This Gay movie is not really good so I won't suggest any of you to watch it. The story seems lost and the plot is too blur to be understood you can get confused somehow if you don't really focus on this movie, however the actors already tried their best to do their best in this movie. I heard from my sister that the story is based from Japanese yaoi manga, but still why I think that the manga may be better than the movie. I watched this movie just because I was curious at Daniel and Stephen acted together as a gay couple and they looked younger compare to now and their acting skill is not as good as now. Again the ending is quite disappointment but they follow the original story so it's OK even though I really don't like it.

If you curious of this movie you can try to look a fan made music video of "Bishonen" in youtube.com.

> Tragic story of young Chinese man forced to choose between love and family > honor. Based on a true police file. . The destiny seems inevitable > given the time and place.

Yes, the cinematography of this movie is well-done, the musical soundtrack is fine, and, as others have pointed out, the main characters are male and, indeed, may be described as beautiful and as eye candy. But, make no mistake, these are gay characters, and their stories are gay ones. So, if other reviews haven't made that abundantly clear, this one is now doing so.

That said, and despite what some other reviewers may have lead you to believe, if you are expecting to see really well done love making scenes that are natural and true-to-life, you're going to be disappointed. The male on male love making shots, for the most part, are made up of fumbling gestures. Rather than actual kissing, there is an awful lot of what I would call "neck nuzzling" (you know, that's what you do when you can't stand to place your lips on those of another human being---but instead spend moment after moment grinding your face in the crook of that person's neck and shoulder). But, wait, there is one end-of-film scene between our two main characters in which actual lip to lip kissing does occur.....and it is exciting. Fortunately for the undoubtedly embarrassed actors, however, the script does call for a quick "interruption" to the proceedings (doesn't that always seem to happen?).

I have a tip for those of you who wish to proceed in purchasing this title on DVD (I honestly don't especially regret doing so, and you can maybe check out some place like yesasia). Here's that tip: the subtitling into English of what is spoken in this film (perhaps a Chinese dialect, such as Cantonese) is, I believe, the poorest I have ever run across. Silly things, for the most part, which detract mightily from the film's story (example: the subtitle is meant to read "From dusk to dawn" but instead shows across the bottom of the picture as "From dust to dawn"). And there is a lot of this type thing. Too bad, because our leads, Wu and Fung, were either born and/or partially raised in the US, one even attending the U. of Michigan. The film makers should have paid these guys a little extra and had them take care of the subtitling. If I were a wannabe star, I'd even have done it for free.

I managed to buy this DVD when I was based in HK in the late 90's, a time of my Life I loved and will never forget. The movie is based on a true story, partly, when a society playboy DID take numerous photographs of serving, young Police Officers, many of whom worked in the Happy Valley Police Station on HK Island ; I read the Press reports in 1995, and I had a flat a stone's throw from this police Stn. I recognised, indeed frequented many of the bars and cafes featured in the film, and met Terence Yin (KS in the film) in Staunton's Bar in Central on HK Island, and he kindly scribbled his autograph for me in 2001. The street Life of the Territory is lovingly filmed by the director, Yonfan, (whom I saw often in HK) and choice of actors ideal, excepting the cameo role by the Western film critic. Daniel Wu does well in his role of Sam, showing his unhappiness when required and his young modesty and loyalty to Jet(Stephen Fung, rumoured in the 90's to be bisexual in HK) when he felt he should be, but Jet was immature and realised too late he did love Sam and was for a time loved in return. It accurately portrays gay life in HK pre-Handover and the background music is haunting. This film will forever be for me my memento of my happy years in HK and the many friends I knew then, and may well be others who are gay and were based in the former Colony. Finally, in some ways it is a film about a lost love and a missed opportunity for a deep and lasting love over fleeting sexual encounters and the superficiality of many gay/bi relationships. Come the end of the film, I really was choked up. The subtitles are well enough done and not the distraction referred to by another reviewer here ; definitely buy this DVD for a romantic film, in a romantic city setting, and a period of Time now gone.

I really don't understand how this movie is a failure. The story is well-organized, the music is awesome and the castings are good-looking. The story focuses on Jet's love-life in particular and gay world in general thru 4 main characters, Jet, Sam, Ah Ching and K.S, who are all connected with each other somehow. The message from the movie just could be perceived that the love between people of the same sex is just as strong and fervent as normal male and female love, or maybe even stronger. The movie just wants to tell us about a homosexual love, to show us what lays beneath the seemingly disgusting caresses and kisses between two men are true feelings from every beat of their hearts. But they can not be free to live with their true feelings because of social prejudice against gay and duties with their family. The contradictions in their minds could not be easily justified so gay-themed movies usually have an unhappy ending with one of the two seeking for death as a solution, an escape. Moreover, the movie also portrays a dark rubbish world of hustlers with extreme disgrace and even pain in their hearts and bodies. If you view this movie with your ready bias against gay people or just attach too much importance to some of its trivial things, then you could definitely not perceive its message. No matter what criticism it may receive, I really think this movie could touch hearts.

I first knew about this movie accidentally and I felt like watching it very soon. It's about a love story of homosexuals men.

Well, the film has some sad situations that a love story between two men had never been perfectly showed before. It also treats, in second plan, the HK situation about homosexuality. Some narrated parts of the movie focus the spectator on the characters' feelings, and the overall story is simply based on people's love. Some roles greatly contribute for the storyline (highlights for Shu Qi, which is almost the key of the film), filling it with portions of suspense and surprises. The movie also talks about family, honor, respect, luxury, crime... And although the main roles played, the story is transmitted in a such great way that most part of time you won't even notice the main characters are homosexuals.

This was one of the first homosexuals movies I'd seen, and I must admit it's truly a good one. It really leaves on us a sensation to be a true life story, that love really moves humans.

And contrasting to many of the annoying American love stories, this movie has the incomparable Asian (or Hong Kong) spice.

Too bad it hasn't been released in most west countries yet (I think only in Germany). I hope one day to have it on my collection.

I rented this movie at my local video store that carries unique and hard to find video's. I had no idea particuliarly what it was about other than the cover discription. But I was in one of those moods to see a foreign film, something with subtitles so I rented it. First of all, I was taken with the opening sequence which showed the main character strut like a beautiful panther down the street and sat mezmerized through out the rest of the movie. The actors are beautiful and stunning, eye candy of course, but with good solid acting behind the pretty faces. Being beautiful is often a curse. People often cannot see beyond the beauty to see the substance. There is substance behind the characters as they were written, and substance behind the actors performances. The story is a sweet and beautifully filmed love story with a wonderfully appropiate score. If you were once beautiful or if you have ever been truly in love you will really love this movie. For me, it was bittersweet.

I won't bore you with the plot, it is told in previous posts. I just want to say that this is a beautifully filmed movie. Yes the actors are beautiful. So what. Does being beautiful automatically disqualify you from giving a moving and poignant performance? Also, though not mentioned in any other post, the score is FANTASTIC!!!!!

Daniel Wu's performance is brilliant. It is hard to believe that this is only his first movie role. He seems to have everything to become the next Keanu Reeves. I predict that a "star was born" in San Francisco in 1974.