Hu-du-men

Lang Kim-Sum runs the Shining Sword Troupe, purveyors of traditional Cantonese opera to declining audiences, and she's also the star of the shows. She's surrounded by problems. The other actors don't like the whizz-kid director she's hired to boost the troupe's appeal. Her husband is sure that his daughter (her step-daughter) is having a lesbian affair. One of the men in the troupe is in love with her. It's no wonder she needs the odd tot of something strong to keep her going...Hu-du-men is an untranslatable term from Cantonese Opera; it signifies the imaginary line around a stage which locks performers into the characters they're playing. The meaning here, of course, is metaphorical. Shu Kei's endearingly old-fashioned movie is a skilfully plotted comedy-drama centred on credible characters with credible emotional problems. It's easily the most pleasurable Hong Kong movie this year. And at its core is the matchless Josephine Siao. Tony Rayns