The Other Side Of A Gentleman (1984)

The Other Side Of A Rom Com

I went into watching the movie knowing what to expect…Or at least I thought so. I’m a huge fan of Hong Kong movies, and I’m used to their humor and zaniness. But there was actually none of that…really; it only ended like one. Which was okay, I’m glad when the plot is taken seriously, but that doesn’t mean I’m not a fan of Cantonese humor and it’s tendency to be made from contrived plots and unsophisticated humorous flair. Yet, in the “The Other Side of Gentlemen” I wished things had been fleshed out more. It was all very robotic and a huge let down.

The only character who truly showcased growth was Alan Ng. Therefore, I believe that’s why his character came off the most pathetic but you felt empathy for him; he actually deserved better, even someone better than JoJo. So, I expected Alan Ng to have the chance to shine at one point in the story. He could have unexpectedly left everyone speechless in the party scene, and showed off his knack for language, soft skills, and salesmanship; he could’ve painted himself as a true businessman. He could’ve made all those engineers, accountants, scientists, doctors, and professors lose face while impressing JoJo. But that didn’t happen. He could have even had the opportunity to showcase his Japanese speaking abilities more, or get promoted at his job. But that didn’t happen. He could have went on a date with another woman to make JoJo jealous and make her question whether or not she chose the wrong man. But that didn’t happen. JoJo could have met Alan’s sister and seen his more sweet side when she saw him interacting with his sister. That didn’t happen.

There were so many missed opportunities the director didn’t pursue. So, the story fell flat.

None of the college students, scholars, and others were really likable except for Alan’s friends and his little sister. The priest was even decent. But other than that, I think Alan’s behavior towards the end was justifiable. The experimenters needed to realize what they created, and it be used against them. But that brings up another point, JoJo should have broken up with her fiancé. Not because I thought she was better fit for Alan Ng (because I don’t believe she deserved him), but because her fiancé was willing to put her in a situation that was dangerous. She became his puppet like Alan, but he was able to still get the girl. It was all about power and manipulation on his end. For psychologist, they were truly fickle people. All the college students and educated folks were negative.

So, the story missed its mark. It had so much potential to be better than it was. I wish the audience could have gotten a better glimpse of JoJo’s home life (and maybe even some backstory), same with Alan but in terms of his past (why did he drop out of college? Maybe his past heartbreak made him the person he was before he met JoJo…who knows…Maybe it’s up to the audience’s interpretation). We only got a couple cute moments between the leads, so, there could’ve been more romance. We could have gotten a better answer to why and how the leads fell for each other. I can only assume Alan brought out the easy going and happy sides of JoJo, gave her a zest for life and what youth is all about. And JoJo gave Alan the reason to grow and pursue a lot of the potential he had; to become a better person. But the audience didn’t get any of that because the director didn’t touch upon that part like he should have. JoJo and Alan’s relationship could have been showcased as something more deep than it was. JoJo should have had more girlfriends to seek advice from. She was always surrounded by bland individuals and men. I wished Alan and JoJo could’ve met each other’s parents too. I think that she went through with the wedding because she felt like she didn’t deserve Alan’s love, and maybe so…but they were both insane, so they deserved each other. He was an obsessed stalker, and she was a beautiful manipulator with the tenacity to build up and breakdown a man while looking him in the face.

The best part that made up for it- just a little bit-was the ending. Alan’s speech and proclamation of love when interrupting the wedding( Alan Tam actually looked pretty good in the suit with the purple flower), and JoJo’s goofiness (playing dead, and hopping on his motorcycle). I believe Brigette and Alan had chemistry, but it was overlooked by the material they were given.

Give the movie a watch if you’re a fan of Alan Tam and his songs, or want to see a young Brigette Lin in a role that was a far cry from the ones she would become famous for playing. In a way, this was one of the brighter and refreshing (happy and rom com-ish) movies on her filmography.

6/10. But I’m being generous. The ending kept me from rating it a tentative 5. Also, despite what others think, I actually liked the characters’ outfits. PVC jackets, and knock-off vans are quite fitting. The fashion was modern, camp, and colorful. Kind of reminded me of late 2000s and early 2010s (2007 - 2012).

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