Linger (film)

Linger

Promotional poster
Traditional 蝴蝶飛
Simplified 蝴蝶飞
Directed by Johnnie To
Produced by Johnnie To
Tsui Siu-Ming
Cheung Hong-Tat
Written by Ivy Ho
Starring Vic Chou
Li Bingbing
Maggie Shiu
Lam Suet
Roy Cheung
Music by Guy Zerafa
Dave Klotz
Cinematography Cheng Siu-Keung
Editing by David M. Richardson
Studio Sil-Metropole Organisation
Milkyway Image
Distributed by Hong Kong:
Sundream Motion Pictures
Release date(s) Hong Kong:
11 January 2008
Running time 88 mins.
Country Hong Kong
Language Mandarin
Cantonese

Linger (traditional Chinese: 蝴蝶飛; simplified Chinese: 蝴蝶飞; pinyin: Hu die fei; Cantonese Yale: Woo dip fei) is a 2008 Hong Kong romantic drama film directed by Johnnie To and starring Li Bingbing and Vic Chou of F4 fame in his film debut. Li plays a woman who is visited by the ghost of her former boyfriend (Chou), who died in a car accident three years earlier. Upon its release, the film was poorly received by both critics and fans of To's earlier Milkyway Image films.

Contents

Plot

Dong (Vic Chou) was dating Fan, but was infatuated with Yan (Li Bing Bing). Dong suddenly dies in a fatal car accident, and Yan is badly affected. She relies on medication to escape from the reality and her true feelings toward Dong. Three years pass, and Yan takes advice from Dr. Yuen (Roy Cheung) to finally relinquish the medication. She starts seeing Dong repeatedly in her dreams and begins to suspect that her encounter with Dong is real. At the same time, she realizes that she is slowly falling in love with Dong. At last, Yan frees her true self to Dong and he fades away gradually as they both defeat the affliction within their hearts.

Cast

Production

Linger pairs Taiwanese F4 pop star Vic Chou, with Mainland Chinese actress Li Bingbing. The film was shot mostly in Mandarin, to suit the language abilities of the two leads.[1]

Reception

Box office

Linger was released in Hong Kong on January 10, 2008. On opening weekend, it grossed HK$82,209.[2] At the end of its box office run, it made a total gross of $156,915.[3]

Critical Reception

Linger was met with mostly negative reviews from critics who felt that the film was targeted for younger female audiences and fans of the two leads. Some blamed Ivy Ho's screenplay for being poorly developed.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ LoveHKFilm.com
  2. ^ Hong Kong Box Office January 10–13, 2008
  3. ^ 2008 Hong Kong Yearly Box Office Results
  4. ^ A Nutshell Review: Linger (Hu Die Fei / 蝴蝶飞) - Probably Singapore's #1 Movie Review Blog

External links

Films directed by Johnnie To
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
Films with
Wai Ka-Fai
Co-director
See also
1990s films
Beyond Hypothermia (1996) • Final Justice (1996) • Too Many Ways to Be No. 1 (1996) • The Odd One Dies (1997) • The Intruder (1997) • The Longest Nite (1998) • Expect the Unexpected (1998) • A Hero Never Dies (1998) • Sealed with a Kiss (1999) • Where a Good Man Goes (1998) • Running Out of Time (1999) • The Mission (1999)
2000s films
Spacked Out (2000) • Needing You... (2000) • Help!!! (2000) • Comeuppance (2000) • Wu yen (2001) • Love on a Diet (2001) • Fulltime Killer (2001) • Let’s Sing Along (2001) • Running Out of Time 2 (2001) • Second Time Around (2001) • Fat Choi Spirit (2002) • My Left Eye Sees Ghosts (2002) • Love For All Seasons (2003) • PTU (2003) • Looking for Mr. Perfect (2003) • Turn Left, Turn Right (2003) • Running on Karma (2003) • Breaking News (2004) • Throw Down (2004) • Yesterday Once More (2004) • Election (2005) • 2 Become 1 (2006) • Election 2 (2006) • Exiled (2006) • Eye in the Sky (2007) Triangle (2007) • Hooked on You (2007) • Mad Detective (2007) • Linger (2008) • Sparrow (2008) • Tactical Unit - The Code (2008) • Tactical Unit - No Way Out (2008) • Tactical Unit - Human Nature (2008) • Tactical Unit - Partners (2009) • Tactical Unit - Comrades in Arms (2009) • Accident (2009) • Vengeance (2009)
2010s films
Filmmakers
Screenwriters
Crew
Dennis Law • Cheng Siu-Keung • Martin Chappell • May Mok • Patrick Tam • Lai Yiu-Fai • David M. Richardson
See also