After suffering a stroke, an altruistic maid announces that she wants to quit her job and move into an old people's home.
Director:
Ann Hui
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Title: Tou ze (2011)
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32 wins & 24 nominations.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Andy Lau | ... |
Roger
|
|
| Deannie Yip | ... |
Ah Tao
(as Deanie Ip)
|
|
 |
Hailu Qin | ... |
Ms. Choi
|
| Fuli Wang | ... |
Roger's mother
|
|
|
|
Paul Chun | ... |
Uncle Kin
(as Paul Chiang)
|
|
|
Tin Leung | ... |
Headmaster - Resident at Elderly Home
|
|
|
Man-sze Yu | ... |
Sharon
(as Wendy Yu)
|
|
|
Eman Lam | ... |
Carmen - Roger's assistant
|
| Elena Kong | ... |
Aunt Kam's daughter
|
|
|
|
Chi-san Chan | ... |
Jason
(as Jason Chan)
|
|
|
So-ying Hui | ... |
Mui
|
| Anthony Chau-Sang Wong | ... |
Grasshopper - Elderly home's owner (Special appearance)
|
|
| Chapman To | ... |
Dentist (Special appearance)
|
|
|
|
Raymond Chow | ... |
Himself (Guest appearance)
|
|
|
Felicia Chow | ... |
Herself (Guest appearance)
(as Mrs. Raymond Chow)
|
Edit
Plot Summary
|
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Storyline
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 | urban setting | cameo appearance | long distance call |Genres:
DramaCertificate:
See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Country:
Hong KongRelease Date:
9 March 2012 (Hong Kong) See more »Also Known As:
A Simple Life See more »Box Office
Budget:
CNY 30,000,000 (estimated)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Dolby DigitalColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
This film is about a maid who is forced to retire after a stroke. Her life and the relationships around her change drastically.
"A Simple Life" is a touching story about a maid who has served a family for 60 years. She was seen as a servant in the beginning of the film, with her employers having no emotional attachment whatsoever. It saddens me to see how Ah Tao was treated with little respect. As the story progresses, the emotional connections and the direction of servitude turn 180 degrees, making a heartwarming and satisfactory change.
The environment in the old age home is strikingly authentic as well, from the residents, staff, the relationships between residents and relationships between residents and their children. How they care for each other is touching to say the least.
There are many effective and powerful scenes. The very brief 5 second scene of the old man walking in an alley with a young woman has so much emotion in it, I felt this spectrum of feelings towards this old man, from shame to anger. The numerous scenes with Ah Tao's humble personality are also very moving. A picture is really worth more than a thousand words.
It is also striking to see how the old age home manager speaks accented Cantonese, something that is very usual among old age home staff. This adds to the authenticity of the film. Another striking thing is that she is just 5 months younger than the actress playing Ah Tao. Who would have guessed!
In short, "A Simple Life" tells a heartwarming story of a humble, dedicated and selfless maid. The plot is so strong, that it moves people without the need of special effects or fancy sets. "A Simple Life" is a refreshing change for theHong Kong cinema, as it finally churns out a quality drama.