This film begins with a middle-aged man named "Fai" (Frances Ng) being released from prison after spending a number of years behind bars. Since he has no family and no source of employment, he has no choice but to find a way to make ends meet there on the bustling sidewalks of Hong Kong. Yet, despite all of the pain and adversity he has suffered, he still manages to find a few other homeless people around him that offer some comfort to him when nobody else seems to care. But as bad as things are for him, things get even worse one morning when employees from the sanitation department come along and take all of his meager possessions without warning. However, rather than simply accepting serious breach in protocol, he and his friends are convinced by a local social worker named "Ms. Ho" (Cecilia Choi) to file a civil suit against City Hall to try to gain some modicum of compensation. Unfortunately, until a verdict is finally reached, they all will have to try to survive somehow any way they can. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that I had no knowledge of this film until I recently stumbled across a review of it and decided to check it out. That being said, I have to agree that it was a departure from most films made in Hong Kong in that it contained a deeper and more intense storyline than usual. Admittedly, I have no real knowledge of the homeless situation there and for that reason I cannot say whether this film adequately captures the plight of these people or not. But even so, this is still a gripping movie experience and I recommend it to viewers looking for a film of this kind.

I had the opportunity to sit down and watch the 2021 Hong Kong drama "Zuk Seoi Piu Lau" (aka "Drifting") here in 2022. Granted, I hadn't even heard about Jun Li's movie here, but I didn't need to have heard about it to watch it. Simply with it being a Hong Kong movie that I hadn't already seen, of course I opted to watch it.

Seeing that the movie was starring Francis Ng, I must admit that things were looking good, and I was definitely having some expectations to the level of entertainment.

And let me just say that writer and director Jun Li delivers a wholesome and enjoyable movie. "Zuk Seoi Piu Lau" is a most welcomed movie to the Hong Kong cinema, as it depicts the lives of those unfortunate Hong Kong residents that live in slums and on the streets. And it was such a much needed breath of fresh air to the Hong Kong cinema, as it was so far away from the usual fast paced action, sappy romance and slapstick comedies that you get in an abundance. So thumbs up, way, way up for writer and director Jun Li on that accomplishment.

It should be said that not only was it because of a great and well-written storyline that "Zuk Seoi Piu Lau" turned out so enjoyable, but most definitely also because of some very emotional and memorable performances by the cast in the various roles of those poor people living on the streets in Sham Shui Po district of Hong Kong.

I was really impressed with Francis Ng's performance in this movie. But then again, I have always enjoyed his performances in the movies he is in, but I will say that "Zuk Seoi Piu Lau" is possibly the crowning achievement of his acting career thus far.

"Zuk Seoi Piu Lau" is a movie that hits home and stays with you for a long time, especially if you are familiar with the living situations of Hong Kong.

My rating of "Zuk Seoi Piu Lau" lands on an eight out of ten stars.

"In DRIFTING, Francis Ng play Brother Fai, a hophead fresh out of the joint, barely ekes out his existence with other unfortunates, huddled together in jerrybuilt wooden huts in the poorest area of the city. Jun Li is tight-lipped to reveal Fai's misfortunes (as a defiance against sensationalism),who is dismally alone, no home, no family, we only get wind that he has lost a son (the cause of death is moot),and this bereavement is allayed when he becomes pally with a young, vocally-challenged runaway Muk (Or),their father-son rapport undergirds the emotional weight of the film, near the end, Li even conjures up a case of prosopopoeia to plead for Fai's utter dejection and drug-addled taedium vitae."

read my full review on my blog: Cinema Omnivore. Thanks.