A Simple Life

A Simple Life
Original Hong Kong film poster
Directed by	Ann Hui
Produced by	Roger Lee Ann Hui Jessica Chan Nansun Shi Cheung Hong Tat Stephen Lam
Screenplay by	Susan Chan Roger Lee
Story by	Roger Lee
Starring	Deanie Ip Andy Lau
Music by	Law Wing Fai
Cinematography	Yu Lik-wai
Edited by	Kwong Chi-Leung
Production company	Focus Films Limited Sil-Metropole Organisation Bona Film Group
Distributed by	Distribution Workshop
Release dates	5 September 2011 (2011-09-05) (Venice[1]) 8 March 2012 (2012-03-08) (China) 9 March 2012 (2012-03-09) (Hong Kong)
Running time	118 minutes
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Cantonese
Budget	¥30 million (US$5.4 million)[2]
Box office	US$ 6,202,317[3][4]

A Simple Life (Chinese: 桃姐; Jyutping: Tou4 Ze2^[5]), also known as Sister Peach, is a 2011 Hong Kong drama film directed by Ann Hui and starring Deanie Ip and Andy Lau.^[6] Ip, in the titled role as Sister Peach, won the Best Actress Award at the 68th Venice International Film Festival.^[7] Originally, Ann Hui considered retiring after making this film. However, due to the film's success, Ann Hui changed her mind and is considering other projects.

Lau and Ip had not worked together since 1999's Prince Charming. Production of the film officially began during Chinese New Year. It was filmed in Mei Foo Sun Chuen.^[8] Production was wrapped on 6 April 2011 after two months of filming.^[9] The film competed in the 68th Venice International Film Festival.^[10] It was also selected as the Hong Kong entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards,^[11][12] but it did not make the final shortlist.^[13] A Simple Life was an official selection for competition at the 68th Venice International Film Festival, where it won 4 awards. Deanie Ip won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for her role in this film. She is the first Hong Konger to win this prize. In March, she also became the first Hong Konger to win the Asian Film Award for Best Actress. At the same event, director Ann Hui has become the first female to win the Lifetime Achievement Award. At the 31st Hong Kong Film Awards Ceremony, A Simple Life won 5 major prizes (film, director, screenplay, actor, actress), repeating what happened with Ann Hui's Summer Snow in 1996. Ann Hui has won Best Director (4 times) more than anyone else at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Deanie Ip is the oldest Best Actress recipient (64-years-old at the time of her win).

Plot

Inspired by the true story of producer Roger Lee and his servant, the film depicts the relationship between Roger (Lau) and Sister Peach (Ip), a woman who has worked for four generations of Roger's family.

Cast

• Deanie Ip as Sister Peach / Chung Chun To (桃姐/鍾春桃), a servant
• Andy Lau as Roger Leung, a film producer
• Wang Fuli as Roger's mother
• Yu Man-Si as Sharon, Roger's older sister
• Qin Hailu as Ms Choi (蔡姑娘), care home manager
• Hui Pik-Kei as Aunt Kam(金姨), a resident at the care home
• Elena Kong as Aunt Kam's daughter
• Paul Chun as Uncle Kin(堅叔) a resident at the care home
• Anthony Wong as Grasshopper (草蜢), care home owner and Roger's old friend
• Jim Chim as (詹瑞文), one of Roger's old classmates
• Francis Mak as one of Roger's old classmates
• Lawrence Lau as one of Roger's old classmates

Cameos

• Sammo Hung as director Hung
• Tsui Hark as director Tsui
• Angelababy as herself
• Law Lan as herself
• Chapman To as a dentist

Box office

In China after being shown for only four days the film made US$5.2 million and reached second place in the top gross film of the week ending 11 March 2012.^[14]

Critical reception

Roger Ebert gave the film 4 stars. He wrote, "It expresses hope in human nature. It is one of the year's best films."^[15] Hollywood Reporter 's Neil Young wrote that "Film festivals looking for undemanding crowd-pleasers will want to check it out, even at its currently excessive 118-minute running time – much too long for what is indeed a pretty "simple" affair."^[16] Variety 's Justin Chang commented: "Fittingly for a film about the challenges and rewards of looking after the sick and aging, this well-observed, pleasantly meandering dramedy requires a measure of patience, and some judicious trimming would improve its chances for export. But the moving, never tearjerking lead performances by Andy Lau and Deanie Ip are strong selling points for Hui's following at home and abroad."^[17]

Top ten lists

The film has appeared on the following critics' top ten lists for the best films of 2012:

Awards and nominations

See also

• Andy Lau filmography
• List of submissions to the 84th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
• List of Hong Kong submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

References

External links

• Official website
• A Simple Life at the Internet Movie Database
• A Simple Life at Rotten Tomatoes