A Simple Life (2011) Tao jie (original title)

Director:

Ann Hui

Writers:

Susan Chan (writer)
Yan-lam Lee (writer)

Release Date:

5 March 2012 (China)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

After suffering a stroke, an altruistic maid announces that she wants to quit her job and move into an old people's home. |

Plot Keywords:

Old People's Home | Stroke | Hong Kong | Urban | Cameo Appearance

Awards:

28 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Andy Lau	...	Roger
Deannie Yip	...	Ah Tao (as Deanie Ip)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lawrence Ah Mon	...	Ah Chun - Roger's high school buddy
Angelababy	...	Guest at Premiere (as Angela Baby)
Tyson Chak	...	Air-conditioning Fixer
Chi-san Chan	...	Jason (as Jason Chan)
Dennis Chan	...	Vincent
Wing-Chiu Chan	...	Guest at Premiere
Sui-man Chim	...	Roger's high school buddy
Raymond Chow	...	Himself
Queenie Chu	...	Receptionist at Investment Bank
Paul Chun	...	Uncle Kin
Pik Kee Hui	...	Aunt Kam
So-ying Hui	...	Mui
Sammo Hung Kam-Bo	...	Director Hung
Elena Kong	...	Aunt Kam's daughter
Suet-Fa Kong	...	Receptionist at Elderly Home
Stanley Kwan	...	Guest at Premiere
Yin San Lai	...	Elderly home visitor (as Eva Lai)
Eman Lam	...	Carmen - Roger's assistant
Enoch Lam	...	Clergyman
Ka Tung Lam	...	Guest at Premiere
Billy Lau	...	Mobster A
Wai-keung Lau	...	Guest at Premiere
Lan Law	...	Madame Lo
Sammuel Leung	...	Mobster B
Tin Leung	...	Headmaster - Resident at Elderly Home
Yun-sau Mak	...	Hengzi
Hao Ning	...	Himself
Hailu Qin	...	Ms Choi
John Sham	...	Guest at Premiere
Bing-Man Tam	...	Bing
Chapman To	...	Dentist
Hark Tsui	...	Director Tsui
Hiromi Wada	...	Singer
Fuli Wang	...	Roger's mother
Anthony Wong Chau-Sang	...	Grasshopper - Elderly home's owner
Dong Yu	...	Filmmaker
Man-sze Yu	...	Sharon (as Wendy Yu)

Directed by
Ann Hui

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Susan Chan		writer
Yan-lam Lee		writer

Produced by
Jeffrey Chan	....	administrative producer
Pui-wah Chan	....	producer
Hong Tat Cheung	....	associate producer
Ann Hui	....	producer
Stephen Lam	....	associate producer
Andy Lau	....	executive producer
Yan-lam Lee	....	producer
Simon Li	....	administrative producer
Yue Ren	....	administrative producer
Nansun Shi	....	associate producer
Dai Song	....	executive producer
Yeung-Ping Sze	....	line producer
Dong Yu	....	executive producer
Hao Zhang	....	line producer

Original Music by
Wing-fai Law

Cinematography by
Nelson Yu Lik-wai		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Chi-Leung Kwong
Manda Wai

Production Design by
Albert Poon

Costume Design by
Boey Wong

Makeup Department
Yu Lai Cheng	....	makeup artist of Andy Law
Rachel Kong	....	hair stylist of Andy Law
Yumiko Kuromiya	....	makeup artist
Brian Lau	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Jomin Chan	....	associate production manager
Shing Hung Chan	....	unit manager
Liu Ya Qin	....	production manager
Tom Wong	....	assistant production manager
Jie Wu	....	assistant production manager
Sandy Yip	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Cherie Ho	....	second assistant director
Karen Lai	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Chi-Nang Fong	....	propsman
Sun Lin Gang	....	propsman
Wong Kam Suen	....	propsman
Andrew Wong	....	assistant art director
Kim Kwong Wong	....	property master

Sound Department
Cheng-Yi Hsu	....	boom operator
Shiang-Chu Tang	....	sound
Du-Che Tu	....	sound
Shih Chun Yao	....	boom operator

Camera and Electrical Department
Hong Sung Chan	....	associate gaffer
Yiu Ming Chan	....	second unit assistant camera
Cheung Tat Chuen	....	camera assistant
Ma Pui Chuen	....	camera assistant
Ying Han Ge	....	camera assistant
Wu Wing Kiu	....	camera assistant
Billy Ko	....	assistant camera
Tsoi Kubbie	....	camera operator: second unit
Lai Shing Lam	....	camera assistant
Sharon Lee	....	still photographer
Wen Liu Si	....	camera assistant
Tze Fan Siu	....	camera assistant
Li Tian	....	camera assistant
Ho Po Wing	....	second unit assistant cameraman
Chi Ming Wong	....	gaffer
Chun Mo Wong	....	dollyman

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Yoyo Chaw	....	assistant costume designer
Ping Tong	....	wardrobe lady

Other crew
Steven Hui	....	production coordinator
Simon Kwon	....	making-of
Danny Lo	....	making-of
Lim Chung Man	....	styling consultant
Jannie Wai	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Bona International Film Group
• Focus Films
• Sil-Metropole Organisation

Distributors

• Tucker Film (2011) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Lark Films Distribution (2011) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2012) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Golden Screen (2012) (Malaysia) (theatrical)
• ABC Distribution (2012) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• China Lion Film Distribution (2012) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Cinemien (2012) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Les Acacias (2013) (France) (theatrical)
• Twin Co. Ltd. (2012) (Japan) (theatrical)
• China Lion Film Distribution (2012) (Canada) (all media)
• Homescreen (2012) (Belgium) (DVD)
• Homescreen (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Scorpio East (2012) (Singapore) (all media)

Other Companies

• 3H Sound Studio Ltd.  optical sound transfer
• 3H Sound Studio Ltd.  post-production sound services
• Cine Art Laboratory  prints
• Cinedigit Sound  post-production facilities
• Mandarin Laboratory (International) Ltd.  subtitles
• Post Production Office (PPO)  digital intermediate
• Salon Films  camera and lighting equipment supplied by
• TUI Insurance Consultants  insurance

Also Known As:

"Tao jie" - Hong Kong (original title)

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese | English | Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Hong Kong:I | Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:Not Rated | UK:PG | South Korea:All | Japan:G

Company:

Bona International Film Group

Trivia:

Hong Kong's official submission to the Best Foreign Language Film category of the 84th Academy Awards 2012.

HK Neo Reviews: A Simple Life 桃姐 (2011) – Hong Kong

I seriously do not know why it took this movie so long to be in the cinemas. It is one of the defining works of the year and essentially a simple movie about simple and unexplored characters of Hong Kong people. Ms Ann Hui is truly at her very best once again. After winning awards for The Way We Were, Hui strikes the cord to the highest potential by casting Andy Lau and former box office queen of 80s Deanie Ip whose chemistry dates back to almost 23 years old in their last corroboration. It is truly a delight to sit through a movie like this and while this being one Hui's most accepted work to the general public; she never strays away from her principles and values. At its core, it is a film about human interactions, feelings, relationships and old age. One day, we will die and old age is a burning topic for the baby boomer's generation.

Deanie Ip puts in a career defining performance and as she puts it, acting as an old lady is not difficult at all, as she is just playing herself. The manner she manages to make the audience enjoy her character the Chinese servant of Hong Kong family for 3 generations is impressive to say the least. Life is never easy and sometimes, we just tend to forget those people who work their life within behind the scene, with heart, soul and pure dedication. These are people who gave up on having a family of their own and instead spend their whole life raising other people's families. Nowadays, the loyalty and the servant and master relationships are a lot more different. As mentioned before, Ip's characters work so well because there is an underlying chemistry between Andy Lau and her. Lau puts in an underrated performance that doesn't allow him to overshadow the main character. It is a compliment that it is because of the understated manner Lau manages to approach his character that allows Deanie Ip's the spotlight and attention.

A Simple Life has already won a lot of awards and not to mention plenty of admiration from a new league of fans young and old. Hui has been around a long time and has never strayed from the commercialism of Hong Kong cinema. To finally witness an Ann Hui film making splash at the box office is really as a good a feeling as watching a fine piece of cinema. In many ways this is a true and realistic look at simple aspects of life, characters and old age. It is this simplistic that makes Hui's films so different, enjoyable and ultimately touching. All in all, A Simple Life is a Hong Kong movie and more importantly a movie that takes us along the ride, respects those around us and allows the audience to reflect upon their own lives. Movies like these only comes along once in a generation and while this may not be Hui's best work, but in terms of balancing the needs of the Hong Kong people and her own vision, it is certainly the most accessible of her works. A fine piece of cinematic experience…

Neo rates it 9/10

- www.thehkneo.com