Last Chance Love (1997)

Director:

Ankie Lau

Writer:

Ankie Lau (writer)

Release Date:

20 November 1997 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Romance | Drama

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film

Cast

Ankie Lau	...	Jessica Cheung
Tyrone Power Jr.	...	Michael (as Tyrone Power)
Brett Stimely	...	Steven
Ankie Beilke	...	Kim (as Michelle Mitchelle)
Bill Campbell	...	Robert
Dey Young	...	Elke
Sharon Farrell	...	Mrs. Worthington
Audrey Landers	...	Michelle
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Thomas Adämmer	...	Friendly Blond Man
Simon Bowler	...	Preacher
Brigitte Butler	...	Cindy
Gene Drabek	...	Airline Staff
Michelle Ettress	...	Wedding Guest
Tracey Evans	...	Woman Agent 2
Mark King	...	Rick
Sam Koa	...	Tommy
Suen Lai	...	Mutter / Mother
Debbie Lam	...	Helen
Julianne Lau	...	Secretary
Agnes K. Luk	...	Angie
Ernst Mausser	...	Headmaster
Steffi Neubauer	...	Woman Agent 1
Marilynn Payton	...	Wedding Guest
Hans Oscar Popp	...	Mr. Benini
Ruth Popp	...	Ms. Benini
Helen Praetorius	...	Sheila
Elizabeth Prince	...	Wedding Guest
Nicole Samson	...	Little Jessica
Sue Valentine	...	Mrs. McLaughlin
Mecki Venjakob	...	Tourist Woman

Also Known As:

Hong Kong - Eine Liebe fürs Leben (Germany)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

Lau Film International

A divorcée (Ankie Lau) returns to Hong Kong with her teenage daughter to start life anew after her failed marriage.

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

In a nutshell, "Last Chance Love" tells the story of Jessica (Ankie Lau) a Chinese woman from Hong Kong who, after her divorce from her philandering husband Robert (Bill Campbell), a famous American photographer, decides to return to Hong Kong with a sulky 14-year old daughter Kim (Michelle Mitchelle) in tow to start life anew.

When Jessica was young, her mother read her palm and told her that she only had one chance at finding true love and once that chance is lost it will be gone forever! Quite a morbid thing to tell a small kid no doubt! Anyway, as Jessica recounts her story about her marriage to Robert and the eventual breakdown, the audience is told that the "prophecy" has come true and it would seem that Jessica is doomed to live the rest of her life alone. Alas, this is a love story, so there should be a happy ending. In comes Michael, an American jewelry businessman who seems to be on the up an up in his career. He sees Ankie at the airport and I suppose the audience is to believe that it's love at first sight! This movie is a cliché of love stories of man meets woman, man tries to seduce woman, man gets woman so there is really no plot twists or surprise ending. After watching the first 10 minutes, I'm sure you'll be able to know what's going to happen.

While this could have been an entertaining story to show the differences in culture and how it can affect the lives of the lovers, sadly, the two leads lacked the chemistry to convince the audience that they're really in love to begin with. Even Jessica's supposed great love for Robert (her first husband) was so stilted, it was funny! Having said that there are some light moments, like how Kim played pranks on her father's ditsy girlfriend (Audrey Landers) or how Jessica went through several costume changes including hooker heels when she went for job interviews, or how Jessica tried very hard to convince us how she could be a fashion model in the first place when she doesn't look anywhere more than 5ft 2! That said, it's one of those "if I don't have anything else better to do and need a laugh" kind of moments then you might want to consider watching this movie. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend that you spend money to rent this video. As for me, I suppose I was a bit of a masochist and had to watch it till the end just to see what happens.