Life Begins at Forty

Vietnamese title - Tuoi Trung Nien
No. of Chinese episodes - 20
No. of Vietnamese tapes - 15

Watch Out For Spoilers

The cast:
Charmaine Sheh
Anne Heung
Shirley Yeung
Alex Fong
Chin Ka Lok
Cheung Chi Kwong
Eileen Yeow
Kevin Cheng
Irene Wong

“Life Begins at 40” ("LBA40") has such a unique theme and idea; however, it did not manage to capture the audience’s heart. “LBA40” is a poor series in terms of plot, storyline, and characterization. I am fine with the cast, and had it not been for the cast, there would probably be no other reason I could think of for watching it. This is definitely one of the worst series produced by TVB in recent years.

Basic plot
Three best friends, all in their 40s, share an apartment in a housing complex. They have known each other ever since they were kids; therefore, they are “chemically bonded”. Soon each encounters happiness and challenges in love relationships. Through these ups and downs, they have changed and actually become mature.

Characters
I totally enjoy Anne Heung and her above average performance. Lately I have begun to like Anne and I think she has somewhat improved. Her character and Cheung Chi Kwong’s are the only ones that actually appeal to me. The rest of the cast were good enough, but it’s their roles that annoy me. Charmaine, whom I’m a big fan of, couldn’t even make the series entertaining. Her character is just plain weird. Alex Fong’s character is unsatisfactory -- he always thinks that the man has to be better, make more money, and be in a higher position than the woman. Quite old-fashioned in belief, if you ask me. As for Chin Ka Lok’s character, I had a very hard time trying to accept him. He’s a principal at a private tutoring school, but he’s “nasty” in his personal life.

Further comments
The poster of the series tricked me. Shirley Yeung’s role is even smaller than some of the supporting actresses; however, she has a pretty large image on the poster. So don’t expect to see Shirley except in the flashbacks. Kevin and Irene are both fun characters, it’s a pity their roles are so small. “LBA40” does not have a theme song or a sub song. It’s just music, and it describes the series perfectly – boring and sleepy.

The Ending
I would not spoil everything, but I just want to say that the ending is the most disappointing factor of the whole series. The ending is not rushed –- a refreshing change from rushing endings nowadays; but man, it was draggy and never reached a high point. It reached a point where it became stupid and pointless.

Final comment
Unless you have nothing else to watch, skip this one! It’s not even that funny, so don’t depend on it for laughter. I would recommend series such as "Perish in the Name of Love" or "Greed Mask", which are a bit serious, but at least they flow at a nice pace. I would give a **** for the unique combination of the cast, but I can't say that for the overall of the series.