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The Sparring Partner

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The Sparring Partner
Traditional Chinese正義迴廊
Directed byHo Cheuk Tin
Screenplay byFrankie Tam
Oliver Yip
Thomas Leung
Produced byPhilip Yung
StarringYeung Wai Lun
Mak Pui Tung
Louisa So
Michael Chow
Jan Lamb
CinematographyLeung Yau Cheong
Edited byJ.Him Lee
Zhang Zhao
Jojo Shek
Music bySara Fung Chi Han
Production
companies
Distributed byGolden Scene
Mei Ah Entertainment
Release dates
  • October 27, 2022 (2022-10-27) (Hong Kong, Macau)
  • December 9, 2022 (2022-12-09) (US, Canada)
  • December 22, 2022 (2022-12-22) (Australia, New Zealand)
  • December 30, 2022 (2022-12-30) (Taiwan)
Running time
138 minutes
CountryHong Kong
LanguagesCantonese
English(partial)
German(partial)
BudgetHK$10 million (US$1.29 million) [1]
Box officeHK$43 million (US$5.53 million)[2] (Hong Kong)
NT$590,000 (Taiwan)[3]

The Sparring Partner is a 2022 Hong Kong legal crime thriller film directed by Ho Cheuk Tin in his directorial debut. The film stars Yeung Wai Lun, Mak Pui Tung, Louisa So, and Michael Chow,[4] with Jan Lamb and Gloria Yip listed as special performers. The story is adapted from the 2013 Tai Kok Tsui double parricide and dismemberment case.

The film was premiered at The 46th Hong Kong International Film Festival. It was approved by the Film Development Fund with a financing amount of HK$2.5 million.[5] and released by Golden Scene and Mei Ah Entertainment. The film was officially released in Hong Kong on October 27, 2022. It earned HK$43 million and becomes the tenth highest-grossing movie of 2022 in Hong Kong.

Premise

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The case of a double parricide becomes complicated and confusing. Two barristers represent the two defendants in court. Nine jurors with different backgrounds are involved in the debate of right and wrong in justice at the same time.

Cast

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  • Yeung Wai Lun as Henry Cheung, the first defendant; a Hitler admirer with an IQ of 127
  • Mak Pui Tung as Angus Tong, the second defendant of the case; an accountant with an IQ of 84
  • Louisa So as Barrister Carrie Yau, a senior counsel and Angus' representative lawyer
  • Michael Chow as Barrister Allen Chu, a solicitor in Prosecutions Division of the Department of Justice; He can perform excellent English but is bad at Cantonese
  • Jan Lamb as Barrister Wilson Ng, Henry's representative lawyer
  • Gloria Yip as Wai-Ping Yip, one of the jurors; a retired teacher and housewife
  • Choi Tsz-Ching as Barrister Chan Yuk-Yu, a senior counsel in Prosecutions Division of the Department of Justice and Chu's assistant
  • David Siu as Cheung Shiu, DCS sergeant
  • Chu Pak-Him as Hin Jo Cheung, Henry's brother
  • Harriet Yeung as Man Shan Tong, Angus' sister
  • Xenia Chong as Pui King Shiu, Henry and Hin's cousin; a devout Christian
  • Au Shiu Hee James as Kuen Kwai Cheung, Henry and Hin's father and the murder victim
  • Fung-Kam Chan as Suet Yee Shiu, Henry and Hin's mother and the murder victim
  • Brenda Chan Kwai-Fan as Yim-Or Suen, one of the jurors; a former principal
  • Amen Au Cheuk-Man as Siu-Hung Mak, the jury foreman
  • Ursula Wong Yue-Si as Mei Fan Liu, one of the jurors
  • Chung Suet Ying as Ka-Man Cheng, one of the jurors
  • Yau Man-Shing as Kin-Shing Lee, one of the jurors; a merchant
  • Lam Sen as Si-Kwan Ko, one of the jurors; a Philosophy graduate
  • Wong Wa-Wo as Fu Ho, one of the jurors who is retired
  • Kiki Cheung Hoi Kei as Ka-Yan Koo, one of the jurors; an office lady
  • Nicky Wong as Little O, a DCS officer
  • Matt Chow as Superintendent Kam, the DCS superintendent
  • Rachel Leung as Man Yee Ho, Ng's apprentice
  • Joe Cheung as judge
  • Larine Tang as Mika, Angus' ex-girlfriend
  • Crystal Kwok as Amanda, a magazine editor
  • Myth Or as Kate, a reporter who works for Amanda
  • Patra Au as Little O's mother

Production

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Filming started on December 25, 2020.[6] The new director Ho Cheuk Tin has been the assistant director of the film's producer Philip Yung for many years. The Sparring Partner is based on the 2013 Tai Kok Tsui double parricide and dismemberment case. The case involves parricide, dismemberment and hidden corpses, and shocked the Hong Kong society that time.

Philip Yung revealed that he knocked on doors everywhere to find investors for The Sparring Partner, but results in nothing, and he used his savings for buying property to invest the film. Afterwards, he thanked the owner of Mei Ah Entertainment, Guoxing Lee, for agreeing to invest part of the film's expenses, as well as the film fund, and two anonymous saviors. In the end, there was still HK$1 million short. "I boldly called Mr. K. He has always loved me in the wrong way. He only said two sentences on the phone, "Listen to the number of days", "Don't thank me, and don't mention it. I, try my best to make a good movie for Hong Kong'".[7] Netizens have guessed who Mr. K is. Some hinted that it is Louis Koo, who also loves Hong Kong movies and is willing to help others realize their dreams, or Aaron Kwok, who won his first Best Actor Award with "Treading Blood and Looking for Plums", and sang "Killo Levi's Reply Letter" and "Call of Wrong Love". When interviewed by the media, Aaron Kwok responded that Mr. K is an investor in the film, but he is not an investor in the film himself, emphasizing that he supports the new director as an actor. People used different reasons to speculate whether it was Louis Koo or Aaron Kwok. Philip Yung responded by saying that he invested in the film, believing that it was Louis Koo himself,[8] and Aaron Kwok himself denied it.[9] Since the film involves parricides and subsequent dismemberment, it can definitely not pass the film censorship in China, so it can only rely on the Hong Kong local and overseas sales markets.

This is the first category III film of Mak Pui Tung, Louisa So, Jan Lamb, Choi Tsz-Ching, Chu Pak-Him, Ursula Wong Yue-Si, Chung Suet-Ying, Kiki Cheung Hoi Kei, Myth Or Yik-Ki, Rachel Leung, Nicky Wong and Patra Au. It also serves as Kicky Wong's debut film. In the meantime, this is Au Shiu Hee James' posthumous release.

Director Ho Cheuk Tin specially invited Wing Mo to act as an acting instructor at the filming scene in order to enable the actors to perform in a short period of time.

Release

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According to the movie rating system in Hong Kong, the film is listed as category III, only allowing aged 18 or above to watch.

The film had its world premiere as the opening film at the 46th Hong Kong International Film Festival on August 30, 2022. On September 1 the same year, Distributor Golden Scene announced that the film would be officially released in Hong Kong and Macau on October 27, with the first screenings began in the same month.

The box office of the film on the opening day was only HK$200,000. Although it had a good reputation, the results were not as good as expected. After a week of release, it reversed its decline and became the single-day box office champion for four consecutive days starting from November 3, 2022. As of November 6, 2022, the cumulative daily box office is HK$8,642,637, approaching the 10 million dollar mark. The box office continued to rise and created a miracle in releasing. The box office in the first week was 3,229,784, the box office in the second week was 5,404,699, the box office in the third week was 7,532,260, the box office in the fourth week was 8,503,424, the box office in the fifth week was 6,163,268, and the box office in the sixth week was 3,704,698.

Four weeks after its release (as of November 18), the box office of The Sparring Partner exceeded 20 million,[10] becoming the 11th category III film in Hong Kong to reach HK$20 million.

As of November 27, the box office has exceeded HK$30 million. It is the fifth film in 2022 to break through HK$30 million after Chilli Laugh Story, Mama's Affair, Warriors of Future and Table for Six. It is also the eighth 30 million category III film in Hong Kong. In the sixth week, the box office defeated Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever and regained the weekly box office championship.

As of January 21, the cumulative box office has reached HK$41.6 million, becoming the 29th most-grossing Chinese film in Hong Kong, breaking the box office record of HK$41.07 million in the 2011 movie 3D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy, and becomes the champion of Hong Kong's third-level film,[11] and became the fourth Hong Kong film to break through HK$40 million box office in 2022, setting a film record in Hong Kong film history.[12]

The Walt Disney Company has purchased the exclusive copyright of the film. It was streamed exclusively online on Disney+ at 9:30 p.m. on March 25, 2023, and premiered exclusively on Fox Networks Group's Star Chinese Movies.[13]

Songs

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Type Name Composer Lyricist Music arranger Song producer Vocal Artist
Theme Song Twisted Fate Sara Fung Chi Han Morgan Cheung Sara Fung Chi Han
Kenny Wong 		Randy Chow
Sara Fung Chi Han
Kenny Wong 		Hung Kaho

Reception

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Critical response

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On Rotten Tomatoes, The Sparring Partner has an approval rating of 100% based on reviews from 7 critics.[14] Cath Clarke of The Guardian gave the film three stars out of five, and described the movie as "part stylish courtroom drama, relishing the intellectual sparring of the barristers".[15] Simon Abrams of RogerEbert.com awarded the film three point five stars out of four, writing that ""The Sparring Partner" is more about the culpability and partiality of a jury of Hong Kong residents, some of whom have read about this case in the tabloids, despite being told they should not".[16]

Awards and nominations

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Year Ceremony Category Recipient Results Ref(s)
2022 46th Hong Kong International Film Festival Best New Actor in a Chinese Film Mak Pui Tung Nominated
AEG Entertainment Most Popular 2022 Best Drama The Sparring Partner Won
Best New Director (Film) Ho Cheuk Tin Won
Best Actor (Film) Yeung Wai Lun Won
Best New Actor (Film) Mak Pui Tung Won
2023 29th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award Best Screenplay Frankie Tam, Oliver Yip, Thomas Leung Nominated
Best Actor Mak Pui Tung Nominated
Recommended Movie The Sparring Partner Won
2022 Hong Kong Screenwriters' Guild Award Recommended Screenplay of the Year Won
Best Movie Character of the Year Mak Pui Tung Won
16th Asian Film Awards Best Newcomer Won
2022 Hong Kong Film Directors Guild Annual Awards Best New Director Ho Cheuk Tin Won
The 1st Hong Kong Online Film Critics HIGHLIGHT Awards Most HIGHLIGHT Director Won
Most HIGHLIGHT New Director Won
Most HIGHLIGHT Movie The Sparring Partner Won
Most HIGHLIGHT Screenplay Frankie Tam, Oliver Yip, Thomas Leung Won
Most HIGHLIGHT Actor Mak Pui Tung Won
Most HIGHLIGHT Supporting Actress Harriet Yeung Won
MOVIE6 People's Choice Movie Award Best Supporting Actress Won
Best Picture The Sparring Partner Won
Best Film Poster Nominated
Best Director Ho Cheuk Tin Won
Best New Director Won
Best Actor Mak Pui Tung Nominated
Best Actress Louisa So Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Jan Lamb Nominated
Best Original Song "Twisted Fate", composer：Sara Fung Chi Han, Kenny Wong Nominated
41st Hong Kong Film Awards Best Film The Sparring Partner Nominated
Best Director Ho Cheuk Tin Nominated
Best New Director Won
Best Screenplay Frankie Tam, Oliver Yip, Thomas Leung Nominated
Best Actor Mak Pui Tung Nominated
Yeung Wai Lun Nominated
Best Actress Louisa So Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Jan Lamb Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Harriet Yeung Nominated
Best Cinematography Leung Yau Cheong Nominated
Best Film Editing J.Him Lee, Zhang Zhao, Jojo Shek Won
Best Art Direction Ida Mak Nominated
Best Visual Effects Shigeharu Tomotoshi Nominated
Best Sound Design Tu Duu Chih, Chiang Yi Chen Nominated
Best Original Film Score Sara Fung Chi Han Nominated
Best Original Film Song "Twisted Fate", composer：Sara Fung Chi Han, Kenny Wong Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "電影發展基金融資製作電影《正義迴廊》本地首映". The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Press Releases. 18 October 2022. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  2. ^ As of February 21, 2023
  3. ^ "全國電影票房2023年01/23-01/29統計資訊". Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute. 2 February 2023.
  4. ^ "正義迴廊｜蘇玉華拍到幾乎虛脫 感激林海峰及時出手相助". Ming Pao. 31 August 2022. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  5. ^ Ryan (15 February 2020). "何爵天《正義迴廊》獲電影發展基金融資". 講。鏟。片. Archived from the original on 2 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  6. ^ 許育民 (25 December 2020). "《正義迴廊》改編「逆子弒親案」 林海峰首演律師︰好大壓力". HK01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  7. ^ "《正義迴廊》連續4日票房冠軍邁向千萬 融資碰壁 監製翁子光押上買樓首期". Ming Bao (in Traditional Chinese). 8 November 2022. Archived from the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  8. ^ "正義迴廊丨翁子光暗認「K先生」真正身份！爽快借一百萬開戲：好難估咩". Headline Daily. 8 November 2022. Archived from the original on 9 November 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  9. ^ Net, 經濟通 ET. "借出100萬拍《正義迴廊》？ 郭富城拒認「K先生」：無投資電影 | 娛樂情報". ET Net. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  10. ^ "《正義迴廊》累積票房破2000萬 導演公開刪減片段 (16:18) - 20221119 - SHOWBIZ". 明報OL網 (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  11. ^ "《正義迴廊》收4160萬元 膺港產三級片票房第1位 蘇玉華：未消化到呢件事 (16:32) - 20230121 - SHOWBIZ". 明報OL網 (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  12. ^ 許育民 (29 December 2022). "《正義迴廊》票房勢破4000萬 年產四部4000萬作品創香港影史紀錄". HK01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  13. ^ "《正義迴廊》將於這天上架香港 Disney+ ，還有這五部 2022 港產片票房十大電影上架…". 港角. 10 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  14. ^ "The Sparring Partner". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  15. ^ Clarke, Cath (14 November 2022). "The Sparring Partner review – a stylish take on a gruesome real-life murder". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  16. ^ Abrams, Simon (9 December 2022). "The Sparring Partner". RogerEbert.com.
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