Both leads give performances that go beyond their usual range in a satire that’s sometimes diverting but ultimately toothless. Entertainment veteran Shirley Yung, who directs, should know better

Wong Kam-Kwei, a gang boss on the decline, overseeing bathhouses and karaoke bars, falls for a small restaurant owner, Mei. He begins to help her business, and learns that Mei is already in love with Leung, a member of his gang. He’s also like a brother to Kam-Kwei. When a rival gang hoping to steal his territory kills Leung, the only thing left for Kam-Kwei to do now is to protect Mei and avenge Leung.

After incurring debts from his failed business venture in China, Chung Wah returns to Hong Kong after a decade's hiatus. The demoralised Chung Wah faces problems finding a job and tries hard to get used to things at home, including his estranged relationship with his stepfather, who runs a Cantonese opera troupe, and half-sister, who is hostile towards Chung Wah as she always has the impression that the death of their mother was caused by the excessive fights between Chung Wah and his stepfather.

An enthralling directorial debut by the phenomenal, biting columnist and broadcaster Chip Tsao. Three elementary school pals, separated during the post-Tiananmen wave of emigration, reunite after 20 years, only to find themselves in totally different places. When each of them gets involved in an unlikely and at times illicit romance, their disparate lives intertwine and take a dire turn. The simmering ennui of post-handover Hong Kong is insightfully captured in this original and hardhitting drama about love, deceit and betrayal.