After the successful Lost in Thailand, Xu Zheng returns to his comic form in this hilarious and emotional sequel that brings him to Hong Kong.
Xu Lai was once an aspiring artist who had long been in a relationship with Yang Yi. However, when his attempts at intimacy prove disastrous and Yang Yi moves to another school, the heartbroken Xu Lai meets Cai Bo and eventually marries her. However, since his marriage, Xu Lai had long given up on his artist dreams and has since become a brassiere designer. His wife has gone baby crazy and his family constantly interferes with his life and the stress has truly gotten to him.
An opportunity to see Yang Yi at her latest exhibit in Hong Kong gives Xu Lai a chance to reconnect with her. On the family’s last day in Hong Kong, Xu Lai is being interviewed by his brother-in-law Lala, who is looking for be a documentarian. When Xu Lai attempts to get out of it and meet Yang Yi, he goes on the misdaventure of a lifetime, including crashing a Wong Jing movie, getting into a brothel and insane madness involving both himself and Lala. Meanwhile, Lala had unwittingly taped a murder of someone being thrown off a building and now the police even want to question Lala and Xu Lai, even going as far as thinking they may be suspects in the murder. This is definitely not a good last day in Hong Kong for Xu Lai.
Xu Zheng’s Lost in Thailand was the highest grossing Chinese film in 2012 and it was time for him to return to this style of comedy in this in-name sequel. With the assistance of four screenwriters, Xu not only succeeds in the laugh out loud department, but he succeeds with having cameos from specific Hong Kong celebrities and even pays homage to some of Hong Kong’s action cinema in some of the misadventure dialogue. However, the third act switches from its comical portion to a more emotional act and for some reason, it actually transitions well here.
Here, Xu plays a brassiere designer who loves to relive his past of becoming an artist. However, the one thing that holds him back is his wife’s family, who may remind viewers of the Portakalos family in My Big Fat Greek Wedding with their constant interference in his life. While Vicki Zhao gets second billing in the film, she is more or less relegated to an extended cameo and she appears mainly in the first and third acts with the second hilarious act truly belonging to Xu and Bao Bai-er, who also provides some hilarious comic relief as aspiring documentarian Lala.
Some of the cameo appearances to expect in the film come from Wong Jing playing himself shooting a film with Jerry Lamb as his assistant. Bobby Yip plays Wong Jing’s explosives expert. Richard Ng can be seen in an elevator with Xu Lai during a funny chase sequence. Chin Ka-Lok provided the stunt and action scenes of the film and paid homage to some of the stunts seen in popular films such as Police Story and in a very bold move, China Strike Force. Bold because not since that film have I seen a particular scene from that very movie used until seeing this film.
Lost in Hong Kong is a funny misadventure from filmmaker Xu Zheng. All taking place within a day, this is surely one not Xu, or even the viewer may not forget.
WFG RATING: A
Enlight Motion Pictures presents a Beijing Joy Leader Culture Communication Co. Ltd. and Pulin Productions Ltd. production. Director: Xu Zheng. Producers: Xu Zheng and Philip Chan. Writers: Xu Zheng, Xing Ai-Na, Zhao Ying-Zhun, Shu Huan, and Seven Su. Cinematography: Song Xiao-Fan. Editing: Tu Yi-Ran.
Cast: Xu Zheng, Vicky Zhao, Bao Bai-Er, Du Juan, Sam Lee, Eric Kot, Che Biu-Law, Wong Jing, Bobby Yip, Tin Kai-Man, Jerry Lamb.
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