Diva

At first sight, the synopsis of 'Diva' may make it seem as if the movie were as vacuous as its subject matter – but don't let that fool you though, because there is really much more to enjoy and ruminate even in writer/ director Heiward Mak's latest. Essentially a cautionary tale on the perils of stardom, Mak's 'Diva' is surprisingly well-observed and insightful, made all the perceptive by a nice reel-real life twist that sees Joey Yung playing a celebrity modelled after herself.

Yes, the titular character is a singer simply named 'J', whose following is large enough for her to stage sold-out concerts at the Hong Kong Coloseum. Despite being on the pinnacle of stardom however, J is disillusioned by the demands of her career – not just her punishing schedule of rehearsals, filming and social engagements, but also the endless wheedling, backbiting and conniving concomitant with the job. That is, even if the latter is largely done by her slimy manager Manson (Chapman To), who has groomed her from the bottom up for the past ten years.

An opening act where Manson spreads a rumour just so a notable designer's (William So) latest dress can debut at her latest concert series at the expense of another (Fiona Sit) proves to be J's last straw – and after suffering a breakdown at one of her concerts, she retreats into obscurity while developing a relationship with a blind masseuse Hu Ming (Hu Ge) in a faraway village in China. Indeed, we share your incredulity, but you'll do better if you look past it as a mere narrative device to illustrate the considerations and compromises that J has to make in order to maintain her celebrity image – 'what will your fans think if they see that you have to date a blind man?' asks Manson.

In the meantime, Mak creates a complement for J in the form of rising starlet Red (Mag Lam), plucked from obscurity by Manson to be his next project while J takes an indefinite hiatus. A simple girl with a sweet voice and a naïve ambition to be a famous singer, Red learns the hard way the sacrifices she has to make on the road to success, particularly as her ongoing relationship with her boyfriend Rocky (Carlos Chan) quickly turns sour under the media glare and her work commitments. No matter which rung of the celebrity ladder you are, Mak's message is that there is always a darker and murkier side beneath the glitz and glamour.

Few films in our memory have attempted to shed light on what goes on behind the scenes of Hong Kong's entertainment industry, so Mak deserves kudos for tackling what would most certainly be a touchy subject. Certainly, she sidesteps some of the thornier issues, casting Manson as the sole puppet master pulling the strings behind J and Red's careers – though one would suspect in real life that it is the big bosses at the music labels who are the ones really calling the shots and perhaps getting the favours in return for a fast track to stardom.

Here, Mak only goes as far as to demonise Manson, as well as a film director (Gallants' director Clement Cheng in a cameo) who forces another wannabe singer Gennie (Venus Wong) to perform sexual favours on him. Mak's reservation to pull the envelope is understandable – backing this film is none other than Emperor, which for the uninitiated, is the label behind Joey Yung's music – but within the creative liberties she is able to exercise, Mak still manages to craft an intriguing behind the scenes look at the workings of the industry.

Admittedly, Mak does punch above her weight at times, and the fresh director with just two films under her belt ('High Noon' her debut and 'Ex' starring Gillian Chung her sophomore) lacks the experience to fully exploit the dramatic potential of such a story. Still, for what Mak lacks in flair, Chapman To makes up for it with verve in one of his best performances. Increasingly augmenting his slate as a dramatic actor, To (who also produced the film) is fascinating as the shady manager willing to do what it takes for his starlets – even if it means spreading anonymous tips to the press just so J and Mag get maximum coverage in the press.

Apart from To, both Yung and Lam essentially mirror their real life careers into the movie – and it is probably no secret that 'Diva' is conceptualised as a star vehicle for the former. Both are equally unremarkable – though the fault lies as much in these singers first and actors second as it does with Mak, who for some reason unbeknownst to us does not play to their strengths through showcasing their moves and voices in a live concert arena. Yes, the first time we hear one of Yung's songs is right at the end of the film, and while it may have been a stylistic choice, it would be easier to buy into the star she is supposed to be if we can identify with her in the shoes of a fan.

Despite its flaws, 'Diva' remains an interesting look at the life of a celebrity from the point of view of an ordinary human being transforming to become one as well as that of one trying to live out the life of just another human being. It may not be as revelatory as you'd expect it to be, but there is purpose to the telling of a story rooted in the realities of what we would normally not be privy to. With 'Diva' too, Mak has once again proved to be one of the exciting new faces of the Hong Kong film industry – and we're sure this 'Diva' will be one to watch out for in the years to come.

It's not everyday we get to see a movie that touches on the inner workings of a Hong Kong music industry, but Heiward Mak's DIVA is one notable exception. While the movie is commercially-friendly where no clichés are left unturned, it's also surprisingly effective and sometimes insightful. And of course, there's Chapman To's scene-stealing performance. More about him later.

Ten years ago, J (singer Joey Yung) is a nobody. But it is not until she meets a manager Man (Chapman To), who finds her potential enough to be a singing superstar. Cut to the present day, J has becomes the reigning pop queen who often stage sold-out concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum. Much of her huge success comes from her manager Man, who has been working with her for so long. While J gets to enjoy a glamorous life of fame and fortune, she actually feels like a slave who often being controlled what to do and what not to do. She even has little sense of privacy, and it doesn't takes long before she feels intense amounts of pressure until she is losing her voice at a live show. Knowing that this situation may cause an unwanted scandal by the media, Man immediately sends J over to the Mainland for a fast recovery. There, she meets a blind masseur Hu Ming (Hu Ge) where she eventually falls in love with him. At the beginning, she is glad to find a blissful life with her newfound boyfriend. But Man doesn't agrees with her relationship at all because he knows that dating a blind man will cause her a bad reputation among fans and media.

Meanwhile, Man is also grooming a young singing sensation Red (Mag Lam) to be the next big diva like J. While Man is very happy to be discovered that her dream of stardom is about to come true, she is also risked her relationship with her boyfriend Lok (Carlos Chan).

Mak's screenplay is predictable at best, and whatever dark side of the Hong Kong music industry are mostly depicted at a surface value. But as mentioned earlier, it's also effectively told that is undeniably crowd pleasing for mainstream viewers. There are times the movie has its insightful moments of how a singing superstar actually being moulded. Here, we learn it's not the singer who's calling the shots but rather it's the manager that pulls the string all along. Other than that, I personally like the particular question involving the difference between a person who likes to sing and a person who sings for a living that worthy of a debate.

And speaking of manager, Chapman To (who also produced the movie) has delivered one of his most career-defining performances in his career. In fact, he's one of the best reasons that makes this movie compulsively watchable. The way he depicts as a shady and despicable manager who willing to do whatever it takes for his starlets (J and Red) is undeniably engaging.

His top-notch performance aside, it is unfortunate the rest of the cast pales by comparison. With the movie given the title as DIVA, you would naturally expect that it was the lead who should be given the limelight. And that limelight supposed to belong to Joey Yung herself. However, Yung's performance is strangely unremarkable. She is basically being herself, and there's no depth about her character at all. Her supposedly lead performance feels like an afterthought. Another problem is Mak's strange decision not to let her actually performing during many of her musical sequences. Up-and-coming Mag Lam fares a little better than Yung, and that's just about it.

DIVA may have a share of many flaws, but overall it's a crowd-pleasing entertainment that remains worthwhile.