Deadly Lover

How long
1.5 hours

Foreword
Do you wish to see how the two golden horse award winners pit their acting skills against each other in this telemovie? They are Lai Ming and Lau Mei Kuan. It is almost impossible to see them acting for TVB now. I happened to watch it on television a few years ago and I apologise for this short review as I have forgotten most of the details.

Story/Introduction on characters

Lam Mei Yoke (Lau Mei Kuan) is happily married to her lawyer husband Wai Tuck Ming (Lai Ming). They have a son, Siu Fai and a happy family. Their happiness is short lived when her ex-boyfriend, Long (Siu Chung Hang) comes into the picture. Both of them are problematic teenagers in their younger days. Mei Yoke was wild then and even had naked photos taken by him.

Tuck Ming knows of her past (excluding the naked photos saga) and doesn’t mind it. Long offends a mobster lord and has to flee to Holland. Mei Yoke has long forgotten about him till he is back to seek revenge on her for not waiting for him. She becomes a housewife to devote all her time to her family.He keeps extorting her with the photos. Mei Yoke is afraid that the photos will ruin Tuck Ming’s reputation and Tuck Ming will also forsake her after knowing it. So she gives him money as he keeps appearing in front of Tuck Ming to claim to be her friend.

Mei Yoke gets very uneasy by his existence. Long is actually back to seek revenge on the mobster. He fails to kill him and is being extorted instead. So he keeps asking her for more. In the end, she has no more to give him. Long is agitated and thus She has to reveal the truth to Tuck Ming when he discovers that money has been missing from their joint account. Tuck Ming is very mad and leaves home with their son.

He is very much against Mei Yoke to be with her mother (Teresa Carpio to often as she is from the underworld. She is devastated when Tuck Ming refuses to forgive her. Mrs Lam also knows that her son-in-law doesn’t like her so she keeps a low profile. Because of her negligence as a drug addict, Mei Yoke has such a past and she feels shameful over it. Even though Mei Yoke yearns to visit Mrs Lam more frequently, she dares not do that too openly.

Tuck Ming returns with Siu Fai after second thoughts. Mrs Lam has claimed that Mei Yoke has tried very hard to forget her past so she deserves a chance. Tuck Ming goes to work and is hit by Long’s car. He is safe although his right hand is fractured. Upon knowing that Long disturbs her daughter’s family, she can’t sit and do nothing. She wants to seek revenge on Long to get killed instead although she has a gun. Mei Yoke is badly affected by her death and bursts into tears when listening to the final tape she leaves her.

In the meantime, Long is on the run when police go after him. He attributes this due to Mei Yoke. The policemen come to protect Mei Yoke. Long comes at this time to kill them. Tuck Ming can’t rest his mind in the hospital and also comes back. Long attacks them with a gun. After a long struggle, Mei Yoke has no choice but to kill Long. The whole family is finally safe as Tuck Ming hugs Mei Yoke in his arms.

Song
The main theme is ‘stopping the steps the next day’ 明天止步 and the subtheme is ‘infatuation misunderstanding’ 痴心誤會. I prefer the subtheme as it is very touching. I doubt we can hear nice theme songs these days. They can be found in her 公子多情 album.

Conclusion

I have never imagined that there can be so few artistes in a telemovie but this one proves it. The most glaring scene isn’t how Ah Long attacks the whole family but the beach scene at the beginning of the telemovie. We will never get to see Lai Ming donning swimming trunks in a 4 minute scene again. He looks so fair and young. The weird part is why isn’t Mei Kuan wearing a swim suit since they are at the beach?!

Lai Ming’s bespectacled look and speech have the makings of a lawyer. No wonder he became another lawyer again in ‘Period of Time’. It is a bit hard on him to act as the father of a toddler, though. As for Mei Kuan, she doesn’t really look convincing too as she lacks chemistry with the child as well. Her omega watch hairstyle amuses me although it is the in-thing in the late 80s. On the whole, she is better in singing.

Mei Kuan and Lai Ming’s acting was very raw then so we can’t expect too much. The only outstanding person was Chung Hang but he offers little excitement as he has played too many villain roles. The surprise is from Teresa as she handles the pathetic mother well. If you wish to have a feel of the past, you may try to rent this telemovie to watch it.

Sukting’s ratings :

On acting : *** (Scale of 5)

On story : *** (Scale of 5)

On songs : ***1/2 (Scale of 5)