Lockdown was not kind to many businesses and for many people it plunged them into uncontrollable debt as they tried to stay afloat, but inevitably the pandemic put a lot of businesses into recession. After two years of such battles to keep his wedding planning business alive; Dominic (Dayo Wong) is given a lifeline when his partner June`s (Catharine Chou) Uncle Ming (Paul Chun) wants to retire and hands his funeral planning business to him. Debt riddled Dominic gives himself completely to his new venture, as he fumbles his way around learning from his mistakes as he goes from one funeral to another, always trying to please, but there is one person he can`t seem to please at all, his biggest obstacle in his new venture is his new partner Master Man (Michael Hui) a traditional Taoist priest bound to his believes that have been passed down for centuries from his ancestors. Master Man would like his son Ben (Tommy Chu) to follow in his footsteps like he did for his dad, his daughter Yuet (Michelle Wai) wants nothing more than her father`s approval, but according to the ancestors women are dirty, and her father has not paid her much attention over the years reminding her on occasion that women are dirty.
Written and directed by Anselm Chan, The Last Dance is for me quite simply a work of art. I have heard this term used many times before over the years from people to describe certain films, but never have I felt it more fitting than with this film! From the career defining performance from Michael Hui to the camera movement and framing of the city of Hong Kong, The Last Dance is a stunning poignant slice of life drama that pulls you in and doesn’t let go until it ends. All four leads are mesmerising in their roles, Michael Hui deserves all the attention he is getting for his portrayal of Master Man, and I can see him wining many awards for his master class acting in this film. For me the film only works because of all four leads, I cannot pick out who is more outstanding, as they all are utterly compelling on screen. As a group they work so well together without one, the film just wouldn`t work. This must be down to the direction by Anselm Chan, he gets such a natural way of acting from each actor. It is just honesty and perfection on screen. The best scenes in the film are between Dayo Wong and Michael Hui, these scenes are the heart of the film. What stands out as well is Michelle Wai as Yuet, she just gives it her all as the paramedic with a huge caring heart that no one sees, except maybe one person? Tommy Chu as Ben, the son is something he under plays brilliantly as he tries to do what is best for his wife and son, while trying to please his father at the same time.
Hong Kong Cinema has a new voice with Anselm Chan, I will not be surprised if this film wins an Oscar in 2025 and I can also see it winning heavily at the Hong Kong Film awards next year. Never have I watched a drama so utterly engaging from the start to the finish where even shots of them driving through the city are beautiful to watch. The film is perfection it is up there for me as one of the best of the year, and I also don’t mind admitting that I had tears in my eyes during certain scenes. It is an emotional roller-coaster drama that is honest to itself, and that makes it a must to watch.
