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HE’S A WOMAN, SHE’S A MAN (1994) |
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The first half of the film begins with an absolutely stunning satire on the Hong Kong pop industry, but the second half degenerates into a lacklustre love story. A shame really, as the first half promised so much. Koo Sam (Leslie Cheung) is a famous music producer, with aspirations to go to Africa to absorb the local culture and jam with the Africans, like Paul Simon. His girlfriend is Rose (Carina Lau), a famous pop star, who made it big all thanks to Sam and his music. But Sam is tired of Rose, and wants to create something new - maybe find a new singer? He holds an audition to find a male singer, and over 9000 applicants are seen over a period of nearly six months. Finally, out of despair or simply trying to goad Rose, he signs Lam Gee Wing (Anita Yuen), a groupie who loves Rose and Sam, and only applied (in male disguise) so that she can meet them. Sam and his gay friend (Eric Tsang) thinks Wing has the potential to become a big star. “His effeminate looks and stature are just perfect for this industry.” From then on, Wing is tutored to sing, dance, look stunning, and dress ostentatiously, but everyone thinks he is gay. Sam is afraid because Wing had moved in to live with him, and with time, he does actually fall in love with Wing, but he’s afraid to come to terms with his emotions. Meanwhile, Wing has also fallen in love with Sam, but she is scared that she would wreck Sam’s relationship with Rose, who has become a good friend of hers. Anyone with a good knowledge of the Hong Kong pop industry will know that most singers are groomed for stardom, that most of them can’t really sing, and only their looks are their biggest asset. The first half of the film is a great lovely satire on the industry, about how big stars are made by producers, and how fickle and deceiving everyone are. The quick rise of Wing from obscurity to big time singer sums up the industry as a whole, and there are plenty of other satirical moments throughout the film. Before Wing went for the audition, she was just an ordinary girl, but one who is obsessive about all things stardom. She spends most of her time collecting souvenirs of her idol, go to places where her idol will appear, and have fan wars with other people. Maybe this is a joke on the current state of the real-life fans? About how obsessive they have become to pursue their hobbies? Maybe so, but the central part of the film is the exploration of homosexuality. Sam is literally scared of Wing, after hearing that he is gay, but he cannot defy his emotions for Wing, and in the end, he comes to terms with his own feelings. Leslie Cheung is allegedly a homosexual himself (of course, he denied it several times), so this must have been a weird part for him to play. Maybe a reflection of his true self? Anita Yuen won a Best Actress award in the Hong Kong Film Awards for her performance as Wing, and I think she deserved it, but why would anyone fall for a person who spends most of their time talking to hand puppets is beyond me. Overall, He’s a Woman, She’s a Man has its moments, but generally fails to impress towards the second half of the film when it turns off its satirical jokes and focuses on the relationship between Sam and Wing instead. Leslie Cheung’s singing is great though. |
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RATING 7 / 10 |