A stylish delight
Sparrow is a tough film to review without spoilers. The story tells of a pickpocket ring led by Kei (Simon Yam) whose members are approached individually by a beautiful woman (Kelly Lin) with connections to a wealthy mob boss (Lo Hoi Pang). As our gang of lovable pickpockets start to realize that they are being manipulated into working for the woman, events accelerate to boiling point in a street duel among professional pickpockets (‘sparrows’ in Cantonese slang) on a rainy night in Hong Kong. Being a big Johnnie To fan, I cannot say that this film is among his best, but it is certainly among his best accomplishments. Taking a relaxed, meandering approach, To walks us slowly through seemingly detached scenes that fall neatly into place halfway through the film. In any other hands, the film would likely have degenerated into a disjointed mess, but it is a testament to the director’s skill (he obviously knows exactly what he wants to shoot, and shoots it remarkably well despite any possible prior expectations and objections from the audience). Johnnie To’s reputation of Hong Kong’s guru of STYLE is richly deserved, as despite having no noticeable plot and direction in the first half, Sparrow nonetheless grabs you from the first few scenes and never actually lets you go. Recommended for film fans, highly recommended for fans of Hong Kong cinema, and an absolute must watch for Johnnie To fans.