SYNOPSIS:
Momo,
a country girl in the city, works in a photo shop outside
the entrance of a luxury high-rise apartment building. She
observes the wealthy residents as they come and go and she
begins to notice some dramatic changes in the Zheng family
after a manicure shop opens opposite the entrance of the apartment
building.
As
Momo comes to realize, puzzling events surround Rose, an elegant
lady born to wealth, John, her social climbing husband, Sharon,
the beautiful and aggressive manicure shop owner, and Fendou,
the building’s security guard. The mysterious story
unfolds in unexpected ways, as the residents experience love,
betrayal, deception and revenge and eventually find themselves
trapped in a situation beyond their control...
MOVIE REVIEW:
With a title like “Curiosity Kills The Cat” (check
out the literal Mandarin translation too!), we are surprised
how it managed to arouse interest from the Golden Horse Awards
Jury, so much so that it even awarded the film with a Best
Actress nomination for Carina Lau last year.
Although
the trophy eventually went to Zhou Xun at the 43rd annual
event, Lau’s performance is also noteworthy for its
intensity and conviction.
She
plays an elegant wife who stays with her cheating husband
in a high-end apartment. Other characters who will be involved
in this drama thriller include a manicure shop owner whom
the husband sleeps with, a photograph shop attendant who quietly
observes people around her, and a security guard who gets
himself entangled in this web of deceit and jealousy.
This
97-minute China production features two better known stars:
Lau and Hu Jun (Internal Affairs II, Lan Yu). The other actors
like Song Jia, Liao Fan and Lin Yuan are Mainland Chinese
talents who also give stellar performances as well.
The
Zhang Yibai-directed movie should be given kudos for its storytelling
structure. Told by emphasizing different characters’
motives, the plot unfolds like a well-written crime novel,
which is rather innovative for a Mainland Chinese picture.
This style may not be anything to shout about in Hollywood,
but it is worth commending here.
It
does help that the cast delivers convincing and engaging performances,
and the production design is sleek and modern enough to appeal
to today’s viewers with short attention span. The “M18
- Some Sexual Scenes” consumer advice by our friends
at the censorship board may also attract some audiences who
are interested in some hot, naughty sex scenes.
But
a word of advice to the more adventurous viewers out there
who wish that reel life will reflect real life. As you’d
know, curiosity kills the cat, and isn’t the title an
obvious in-your-face one already?
MOVIE RATING:
 
Review
by John Li
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