Isabella (2006)
"Yi sa bui lai" (original title)

A Macao police officer's bachelor life is interrupted by the daughter he never knew he fathered.

Director:

Ho-Cheung Pang

Writers:

Ho-Cheung Pang (screenplay), Ho-Cheung Pang (story),

Stars:

Chapman To, Isabella Leong, Josie Ho

5 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Chapman To	...	Chen-Shing Ma
Isabella Leong	...	Bik-Yan Cheung
Josie Ho	...	Woman at herbal tea shop
Kwok Cheung Tsang	...	Fai
Anthony Wong Chau-Sang	...	Chen-Shing's boss
Sui-man Chim	...	Landlord
Louise Hodgson	...	Young Main Character
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steven Cheung	...	Chen-Shing - adolescent (as Chi-Hang Cheung)
J.J. Jia	...	Hua - Bik-Yan's mother (as Xiao-chen Jia)
Meme Tian	...	Kate
Ming Wan Yeung	...	Bik-Yan's father
Shawn Yue	...	Man at bar

Storyline

On the eve of Macau's handover to China, police officer Shing is having the worst time of his life. Suspended for suspected corruption, he tries to find solace with an elfin creature by the name of Yan, whom he just picks up. As he tries to smooth-talk her to bed, she suddenly snaps back with the biggest turn-off imaginable: that she is the daughter he never knew existed!While Shing desperately tries to hold himself together, his bachelor life inevitably falls apart as Yan insists on living under his roof. Together the two of them start roaming through exotic Macau, tracking down Yan's missing puppy and striving to acquaint with each other. No sooner has Shing grown into his new role as a father than he finds his hands full: when Yan is not fighting with his girlfriend Kate, she is being bothered by her dorky classmate Fai.

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Plot Keywords:

macau | cigarette smoking | throwing a gun into a river | fado | father daughter relationship | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese

Release Date:

6 April 2006 (Hong Kong)

Also Known As:

Isabella

Filming Locations:

Macau, China

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$125,688 (Hong Kong) (7 April 2006)

Gross:

$234,439 (Hong Kong) (14 April 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

China Film Group, China Film Media Asia Audio Video Distribution Co., Media Asia Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min 109 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In all three scenes that Anthony Wong Chau-Sang appears in, he is eating something. The first scene has him eating a hotpot, the second scene that he appears in, he is eating noodles and in the last scene he is eating a bun.

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Quotes

Chen-Shing Ma: Do you know, you can't live in Macau without a Rolex?
Chen-Shing Ma: People don't just look down on you, they don't even see you.

User Reviews

Weird

That is one really creepy movie. But in a good way, if you can say that. This movie is about a police officer that has an unwanted/uninvited guest at his house ... who that is? Someone who wants to live there with him, but that's all I'm going to say, you have to watch the rest for yourself.

The actors are really great in it (some might know Chapman To only from Infernal Affairs, but he made other great movies too) and the storytelling is excellent. You get the mood of the characters mostly through their actions not through their words, which I really liked! Also kudos to the camera man, for his excellent work.

If you like an off-beat drama mixed with little comedy, than this is for you.