Da Gung Wong Dai
1985 / 98m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Drama, Romance
2.0*/5.0*
Working Class poster

Watches

August 05, 2011

2.0*/5.0*

After the success of the Aces Go Places franchise, Hark seemed quite comfortable doing some simpler comedy work. Considering the potential his earlier films showed that's a bit of a downer, but at least we now know he'd land back on his feet later on. Not that Working Class is a terrible film, it's just not all that distinctive. And with Hong Kong comedy being quite an acquired taste, it's also not too surprising this film is one of Hark's lesser-known works.

Yan loves football and women, but keeping a girlfriend is tough when he can't even keep a job. Then he meets Amy, and he falls madly in love with her. So much that he vows to better his life. Amy doesn't dare tell him she comes from a wealthy family, as Yan hates the rich. The problem is that Yan's boss is actually Amy's father, and her little white lies are starting to catch up with her.

There's enough comedy talent present to make for a successful Hong Kong comedy, it's just that Hark's direction feels a bit lazy. The film is never as weird or quirky as it could've been, and the plot has been done so often before that it hardly held my interest. The light vibe and solid pacing salvage a little, but unless you're a big Hark or Hong Kong comedy fan, there's not much here.