When it comes to movie-making, which is superior: truth or manipulated fiction? To some, the facts don’t matter as long as the essence of a thing is captured (Bohemian Rhapsody); whereas, to others, if the presentation of facts is constructed in a way that’s consistent and clear in its fabrication, then it’s more about mythology than truth (Rocketman). For a film like Felix Chong Man-keung’s (Project Gutenberg; Infernal Affairs) The Goldfinger (金手指), a semi-true story about financier George Tan Soon-gin and his company Carrian Group, it’s a mix the two that’s more semi-true than fact or myth. I dub it “semi-true” because names are changed, people are amalgamated together into one narrative representative, and details are shifted in order to pacify potential political landmines in the current socio-political era. None of this, however, makes the message of the film any less important or the performances from the cast, specifically the two leads Tony Leung (Infernal Affairs; Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) and Andy Lau (Infernal Affairs; The Great Wall), any less captivating as Chong presents a morality tale of greed and violence that was emblematic of the era in which the story takes place, while also being a lesson countries the world over have yet to learn: greed is not good and unfettered greed is everywhere.
L-R: Tony Leung as Henry Ching Yat Yin and Andy Lau as Lau Kai Yuen in THE GOLDFINGER. Photo courtesy of Niu Vision Media.
The Goldfinger is a tale of two men, Henry Ching Yat Yin (Leung) and Lau Kai Yuen (Lau), on converging paths. Henry is an immigrant who came to Hong Kong in order to make his fortune, having had several losses but not yet lost his determination; while Lau is an officer in the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) who specializes in bringing down corruption in Hong Kong and who’s been searching for evidence to convict Henry. As the two battle for position through investigation and confession of confederates, a story emerges and, just like the financial industry when explored closely, not everything is what it seems.
Written and directed by Chong, The Goldfinger is a crime drama where time only matters as it relates to chronology, perception is defined by the speaker, and nothing is real. This makes for a fascinating exploration of greed and justice. Chong opts to open the film with two separate introductions. First, Henry’s arrival to Hong Kong as a stowaway on a freighter suggests he’s entering the country illegally, and then Lau as a newly-minted member of the ICAC which is dealing with a violent response from local police. The introduction of these characters smartly sets up expectations and creates a lovely juxtaposition of what each are capable of. Leung provides a voiceover during the Henry intro, making it clear that this journey is one of desperation, of hope to change his fortune, and creating an impression of someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to reach success. However, there’s not a forcefulness to Henry or determination presented, but of someone at the bottom with the grit to push forward who uses charm and intelligence over something more physical. Not being aware of the real story and where Goldfinger leads, one might presume that Henry is the beleaguered immigrant seeking a better life. By comparison, there’s Lau’s first appearance which comes on the heels of seeing a large protest of Hong Kong police officers decrying the creation of the ICAC before some storm a building and one tries to take on Lau, a confrontation that is resolved through psychological combat and verbal chess. If Henry is the fraught, the yearning, then Lau is the system that would keep him in his place. At least, that’s what we’re expected to believe, and Chong’s script, for better or worse, sets forth to dismantle and reconfigure this, so that the only we know for sure that an illusion is playing out before us and we may not be sure who is the sorcerer and who is the naïve patron.
Tony Leung as Henry Ching Yat Yin in THE GOLDFINGER. Photo courtesy of Niu Vision Media.
This is the real gift of Chong’s film. Like watching a regional version of The Usual Suspects (1995), if we accept all we hear and all we see at face value, who is Henry but a businessman utilizing weaknesses in the system itself in order to better himself and others. If we believe what we’re told to believe, especially as Chong mostly keeps us at a distance from Lau to the point that we understand why his own family resents him, then Henry is absolutely the victim in this tale. On the other hand, Chong ensures that so much of what we learn is told through Henry’s associates as they speak with Lau. This approach not only makes every story we observe just a little colored by character perception, but it also (wonderfully) allows Chong to include some anachronistic flourishes that best amplify the relative absurdity of what’s on screen. Through this method, Chong makes a meal of delighting the audience in the opulence of Henry’s lifestyle, something only amplified by Leung’s performance which characterizes Henry as an excited-yet-grounded man whose smile could lit up a room and whose voice could charm you into giving up your most prized valuable while you thanked him for the opportunity. Goldfinger is exciting and thrilling, drawing us in by leaning on the more comedic side of someone who seems to have their fingers on the pulse of desire and remains one step ahead of the system which clamors to control the game. But then, Chong also understands that it can’t be all sunshine, massive rolls of cash, and semi-clothed ladies, which is when the film shifts into gear and the story allows the audience to better understand and engage with Lau, something which is only enhanced by the actor Lau’s dignified presence. Whether directly confronting the other or using playful barbs to test waters, Goldfinger is truly at its best when Leung and Lau share the screen, something they haven’t done since the Infernal Affairs series. This is why most folks will come to see this film and it will not disappoint.
Where the film is weakest, however, is where it’s beholden to history. Specifically, how the film wraps the conflict between Henry and Lau. Throughout Goldfinger, Chong uses varies time jumps and title cards to indicate shifts in order to reduce whiplash as the film journeys from the 1970s into the 1990s. This is all well and good, especially as Chong includes within several of these moments background on the socio-political shifts happening during the jumps. Unfortunately, there are several jumps that take place within the third act that make one feel, through the lens of cinematic storytelling, that a cheat is occurring in order to rush to the conclusion. Given how well the film is paced prior to this, a feeling of underwhelm replaces the excitement and energy the first two acts create as the story moves toward wrapping up.
Tony Leung as Henry Ching Yat Yin in THE GOLDFINGER. Photo courtesy of Niu Vision Media.
When The Goldfinger hit my inbox, given the restorations of Hong Kong films I spent a good portion of 2023 reviewing (can’t recommend Radiance Films’s A Moment of Romance starring Lau enough), I jumped at the opportunity to screen a new Lau film, especially one seeing him reunite with Leung. Nothing in the press materials implies it’s based on a true story, but everything about the structure of Chong’s film and its executed framework imply this. Imagine my surprise to learn about George Tan Soon-gin and his exploits. Though it’s clear that some liberties are being taken, one doesn’t get the sense that Chong was merely making up elements in order to thriller his audience. Rather, The Goldfinger is about as plausible an example of modern crime drama as it is an adaptation of real events. It certainly helps that Leung and Lau are the stewards surrounded by an exceptional cast who deliver performances, not of imitation or heightened dramatics, that convince us of the illusion movies are so wonderful at achieving: it’s all possible.
In select theaters beginning December 30th, 2023.
For more information, head to the official Niu Vision Media The Goldfinger webpage.
Final Score: 3.5 out of 5.
Share this:
Categories: In Theaters, Reviews
Leave a Reply