Confessions of Pain

A man battles his demons at the counter ofa well-lit bar in this gin-soaked scenario of aclassic noir. An ex-policeman has fallen intoan alcoholic stupor after the suicide of hisgirlfriend. When his former colleague’s fatherin-law is murdered, he finds himself mixed up ina murder investigation. Drink by drink, he startsto unravel the mystery and, unwittingly, the livesof those around him. The offender is revealedearly on, turning the film from a whodunit intoa meditation on guilt. The intricate politics ofdirectorial duo Lau and Mak’s previous feature“Infernal Affairs” have given way to trancelikemelancholy. We are shown the workings of guilt:the “how” with the “why” hovering ghostlikebehind every action. Some choose drunkenoblivion, others are forced into apathy. Oneman drugs his wife: “It’s funny, I’m sleepy all the time”, she says. He responds: “It meansthat you’re very happy”. But as with all greatnoirs, the film is as much about a bruised cityas about battered souls. The camera feastson gleaming chrome, neon lights and beastlikesofas offering anyone to sink into theircomforting escape.

Premiere Status
Nordic Premiere: Orig. title
Seung Sing: Cast
Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Xu Jinglei, Shu Qi: Producer
Andrew Lau, Cheung Hong Tat: Script
Felix Chong, Alan Mak: Cinematography
Lai Yiu Fai, Andrew Lau: Music
Chan Kwong Wing: Spoken language
Cantonese