How Long
10 tapes/20 episodes
Who
Bowie Lam,Maggie Cheung Hor Yee,Ronald Cheng,Tang Ho Kwong,Wong Kei Ying,others familiar faces but could never remember their names.
What & Where
Modern 90's drama set at the street situated at the place with a line and a stone as demarcation of two countries where 1 step to the left,it is HK territory,and 1 step to the right,is the China territory.Essentially,it is a love story but much more emphasis is placed on the family stories and friendships instead of 100% love story.
The storyline
Bowie Lam is a very,very unmotivated small time cop and he feels great at not excelling.Because of his laziness and poor performance at work,his boss(who married his ex-GF) sent him to patrol the China-HK street,where you could see China and HK police patrol side by side,only feets apart.He is the only son of a young mother whom he called his sister in public(mom insisted on that) and daddy is an unknown character in this story but he was a famous movie star back in the good old days of Chinese cinemas.There,he stayed with his best friend (the guy who played Ah Hoi in Kindred Spirit) who is a teacher and a health-freak who grows his own food.Then there he meets many new faces,and he is quite unpopular due to some initial misunderstanding.A local girl fell in love with him without him knowing it,and later he meets and falls for Maggie Cheung Hor Yee,a mother of one boy called 'Number One' who was at first waiting for her 'husband'(Tang Ho Kwong) ,later fell in love with that health freak but at the end ,realised that all along,there was only Bowie for her.But by then,too many complications have happened due to Bowie's overzealous enthusiasm in catching her little brother who so happened to be indirectly involved in a smuggling plot by some really bad people.By then,Ah Hoi returns and proposed to her at the time when she felt confused about her feelings for Bowie,and some anger as well.
At the meantime,we have another story of Har Ping,an old woman who is actually the grandma(well,for clarity sakes,she is not really grandma but aunt-grandma if you know hwat I mean) of Number One.She is a very old fashioned woman who loved her grandson more than the grandaughter and she is always the reasons for unreasonableness in the family home,and the other noise maker other than her own son's wife,who can't stand her old fashioned opinions of how girls should stay at home and boys allowed to eat anything.She even wanted to sacrifice her own granddaughter to save her beloved grandson when her grandson escaped from the smuggling plot whilst her granddughter was caught and questioned.It was also because during that time,there was serious doubt as to whether her granddaughter was the real child of her son,since her daughter in law was once involved with a man who now returns to stir some old feelings.Quite complicated for them actually but not to us.
The Hate Factor
Tang Ho Kwong.He plays the 'husband'/BF of Maggie who had been waiting for him for 7 years as he went overseas to study.He came back,looking like a nice sweet young man ,and loved his son.But then,rumours about him being married turned out to be untrue and yet,it was true as we later found out.And he came back specifically to take his son back home to his supposedly paralysed wife as he couldn't have any children anymore due to one accident years ago.Maggie almost gave him to his plea that he wants and needs a son but luckilly she stopped him.But then,another story emerges that he is actually in serious debt and he had actually wanted to take his son and sell his son to a wealthy uncle(wife's side) who is childless to settle the debt.Whether the wife is paralysed or not is not known.What more can I say for this man who is a total scumbag.You had to suspect that something is not quite right with this man.And his own family later disowned him,in a way.
The WIMP factor
Bowie Lam.He didn't dare to tell Maggie that he loved her until it was too late,that Maggie was already going out with his best friend.Then he tried many many ways to try to break them up to no avail.And then the best friends broke up with Maggie and went away and there was his chance which he took almost immediately for which she accepted almost right on the spot.Then there was a huge misunderstanding between Maggie and him and they broke up and best friedn came back.And then the misunderstanding was cleared and he went to search for her only to find his best friend proposing to Maggie.And what does our hero do?He walked away,quietly.
The Most Unreasonable Character
Other than that of Har Ping's character as stated above,I would have to say Bowie Lam's character.Below are the facts:
Your(Maggie Cheung) only young brother joined a plot to smuggle drugs partly because he was forced and mostly because you needed money to settle some of your own debts and your brother who blamed himself for your situation wanted to repay you.And then the plot was discovered whilst your brother was forced by some bad people to push the cart containing thsoe drugs.Bowie(your BF) came and saw who did it,and you as the sister was there and knocked Bowie,who fell into unconcsieness but he saw you.Then you had tyour brother go into hiding whilst Bowie came to persuade you to ask your brother to surrender,citing the example of another young man(a principle character,the spoilt grandson of Har Ping) who surrendered himself.The only difference is ,that was in HK and your brother would fall under China's jurisdiction,meaning a possible death sentence.So your'e scared but he presurres youa dn he at last found your brother and successfully persuade him to surrender and gets 2 years in jail.Now would you want this man back into your life?Surely you would do the same thing Maggie had done but after everything,would you want to be with a man that is too rigteuos(which in ordinary circumsthnaces would be a great thing) and yet you can't trust him with your deepest,darkest criminal secrets?I won't because family is family.This is a very wrong but realistic thinking,but you may have a diffreent opinion.Anyway,Maggie forgave him coz her brother persuaded her to forgive him.It is not a question of forgiveness in my opinion,it is a matter of can you now trust this man?
The How About factor
How about that young man in HK then?He got 3 years in jail.But that again is besides the point.As we all know,being young man in an adult populated prison,be it in HK,China or anywhere else in the world,people often don't get reformed but they usually get bullied,which is worst.Would you throw your brother in jail when you know that he didn't mean nor wnated to do it but he was theratened into it?The legal system is fair,that is why only 2 or 3 years but prison is another different matter.It's not that I am cynical or anything or that I disagree with prison terms or whatever(in fact,it's a good thing) but this serials ending is just a bit too sugar-coated,to the point I almost have diabetes.It should be more realistic.
Special Guest Appearance
By Ronald Cheng Jung Kei,the singer and now an actor.He has a very small role as the friend of Bowie who is a musician in love with the town's Madam,a woman who is definately older than him.He's funny,and acting is much much better than his ex-GF,Miriam Yeung Chin Wah.Quite a delight to watch and with his hairstyle,he looked almost mad as in crazy.
The Most Compatible Couple
Bobby and Maggie are ok but I personally feel that Bowie and Flora is the best.Maggie with who then?Louise Koo perhaps?By the way,Louis Koo is now a bona fide singer and his albums received platinums but he himslef rated his album at 1 out of 10 points.He didnt't like singing,or so he told us.Now I have only one thing to say of this man,he complains too much.But tehn,this is not the point here coz he is not in this serials.
Is it worth Renting
If you're a fan of Bowie and Maggie,sure,you'll love this one.But I am not the ardent fan of either one of them but I find this serial enjoyable but please do not place too much of expectation into it coz you'll de disappointed.I like it but there are some areas that I didn't like.For instance....
What Not To Expect
It is a very inetersting premise in the sense that it is set in the place where there is a CHina-Hk border so you might think that it is difficult for a China girl to be with a HK boy,but as this serial proves,though the girl can't cross the border,the guy can anytime so what is so dramatic about that.
The storyline is like the usual stuffs you've seen over and over again.You would know the ending,the question is how long would you have to wait.Here,it would be exactly 20 episodes later.It is almost boring to watch the same premise.If not for Bowie,and other well supporting actors and actresses,you would have probably yawn.TVB should explore other side of a story buildup instead of just love story all the way.
Maggie Cheung Hor Yee to be really exciting,which she is not.I ahve said this before in another review but I guess I am sorry that I have to say this again here.Ever since old Time Buddies,she had never improved.Her acting is the same,her charactyers is the same,her expression is the same.She needs a new type of role,something drastically different if not,she'll bore all her fans.And her acting here,is shall I just put it mildly as well,expected of her.Every single expressions,her tone of voice,her interpretation of her character is the same.You've seen her earlier dramas?Well,you have seen this one then.Which is a great pity because she really looks great,like a star should but her star isn't shining at all.She needs some polishing I guess.
Is is BETTER than…
For something diffrenet but with almost the same issues of love,relationships and friendships,like Ups And Downs?Nope.Something much more closer to home,like Man's Best Friend?But that is different coz there,2 girls after one man.Still,I would have to say,this serial is much much more entertaining than this one supposedly about dogs but 99% of tyhe story is on human love relationships that is too predictable and way too boring.I ddin't write a review for that one because if I did,there would be a major meltdown of my mailboz or Seagull's mailbox by Jessicca/Sammi/Louis/San San/serial's fans.Maybe DIF since it is about cops and some crime issues?Well,different types of story lines and different emphasis,so no comparisons.
Interesting Facts
Well,something unrealted to this serials.I mentioned Louis Koo amnd since he has no new serials out at this moment,I'll fit it in here then.In a recent news,he released an album,Boyfriend which received very good response.But he wasn't happy and he rated his album 1 out of 10 points and he said he hated siging.The same way when he was asked his most happiest times,it was during his detention in the Juvenile Prison(which he deeply regretted) and his most unhappiest times was during the times he is in the Entertainment World,because he is a very queit man and to climb up the ladder in this lined needs more than just luck.And he always looked tired because he sleeps only 2 hours a day.He still lives with his mom,dad and one younger brother who is not working,which Louis says his brother is so lucky.His parents always quarrel so that was why he moved out but when over the phone when he called back home he heard his parents quarelling,he was so overwhlemed that he cried and he moved back home,because,well he missed the noise I guess.And he sleeps on a bouble decker,shared with his 1 year younger BF.I am not sure if they're still together,he is going out with the girl called Wong Kei Ying,the other bestfriend of Maggie Cheung in this serial,the very very thin one.
Ronald Cheng once was Miriam Yeung's Bf but they broke up recentlt.His father is the big boss of a records company in HK.A few years back,he got into some quarell with some person and subsequently,he kicked the man's car until it wasbroke.Don't ask me how.And very very recently,he pleaded guilty to an assault (amongst many others) charge in USA for the troubles he had caused in a plane and forcing it to land in another destnation.Don't worry,no jail time but there goes for his professionnal etiqutte.The real story?Well,he was on the plane,got drunk(I guessed) and began to do many unreasonble things like grabbing the stwewardness,beat his next dor neighbour,caused so much problems that the Caoptain(or somebody) had to knock him in the head resulting in those blood stains on his chair.Some stwardess interveied said that he cried on their shoulders,talking about how hurt he was by his parents plans to divorce.Very sad but this was how much I knew from the news I read.
Conincidentally,another airplane incident happened with people not related to this serials.Do you know who is Daniel Chan,Chaung Pak Chi and of course Miriam Yeung?Well,they were on board of a 10 hour flight,whilst Miriam was listening to music,sleeping,other passengers were sleeping,Daniel and Cheung was involved in this intense conversation that they made so much noise that people complained about them,Stewardess came one by one to ask them to please lower down their voice but they kept making those noises,reportedly out of 10 hours of flight,8 hours were sepnt listening to them well,talk.So came Jen Ji,a famous old singer who told them to,very politely to shut up.Which they did.But what happens after that that was quite dramatic(to me).People found out about this incident,they both apologised but Jen Ni,was the most critical.She meant specifically Cheung Pak Chi,that in total spirit of her comments that was very politely said,simply meant that this girl had no manners,no good education and her parents never teach her manners.She was so embarressed because those foreigners seeing her behaviour must have thought that all Chinses are as uncivilised as she was.Her exact quote in chinese was ,"I'll not help someone else to teach their children".And who told this little incident to the public?Nancy Sit.
Unimportant Stuffs
The Sky Is The Limit?The title isn't that accurate because this is not some sad love story that takes many many many many ways and time to be a fruitful union.No porblems by the Imigration department,police,etc.The only problems are caused by thsoe love birds themselves.You love someone,then say it.You want someone to change for you,then first look at yourself and if you say,"Hey,I am perfect" then by all means change that person.But if your'e not,change yourself first.Where is tolerance and understanding when you need them?No wodner Maggie left that piece of wood for Bowie,who has plenty of faults but at least he accepts her for who she is.
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