An Abandoned Team
| An Abandoned Team | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster | |
| 得寵先生 | |
| Directed by | Tomas Lee Chi-wai Daniel Ho Ying-ngai |
| Produced by | Media Asia Film One Cool Film Production Limited Film Development Fund |
| Starring | Lawrence Cheng, Amy Lo, Jay Fung, Bonnie Wong |
| Cinematography | Szeto Yat Lui Danny |
| Distributed by | Media Asia Film |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 107 minutes |
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Language | Cantonese |
| Box office | more than HKD$2.5 million |
An Abandoned Team or Alone No More (Chinese: 得寵先生 or earlier 狗轉人生) is a 2024 Hong Kong drama film directed by Tomas Lee and Daniel Ho, and starring Lawrence Cheng, Amy Lo, Jay Fung and Bonnie Wong.[1][2] The film is produced by Media Asia Film and One Cool Film Production Limited, along with Film Development Fund's 4 million dollar investment.[3]
Plot
[edit]Uncle Gai is a 60-year-old hot-tempered loner who has been living a solitary life. His marriage ended in failure, and his distant relationship with his daughter (played by Fish Yu), leaving him increasingly isolated. After retiring, he feels that life has lost its meaning. One day, overwhelmed by despair, he decides to end his life by going to the mountains. However, just as he is about to give up, he is discovered by a stray dog named Roast Piggy, who leads animal volunteer Una (played by Amy Lo) to find him and rescue him. This unexpected encounter becomes a turning point in Uncle Gai’s life.
Initially, Uncle Gai has a strong dislike for dogs, but the actions of Roast Piggy begin to change his perspective on animals. Encouraged by Una, he starts volunteering at her animal shelter, helping to care for abandoned stray animals. Over time, Uncle Gai finds a new sense of purpose and meaning in life through his work with these animals. He begins to open up emotionally and, with Una's support, tries to repair his long-broken relationship with his daughter. Just when Uncle Gai believes that his life is getting back on track and things are improving, a shocking tragedy strikes......[4]
Cast
[edit]- Lawrence Cheng as Uncle Gai, a 60-year-old bad-tempered loner.
- Amy Lo as Una, an animal volunteer.
- Little as Roast Piggy, a stray dog.
- Jay Fung as Chung Man, Una's boyfriend.
- Bonnie Wong as Toby, a veterinary nurse and Una's friend.
- Fish Liew as Gai's daughter[5]
- Ben Yuen as Master Sek, a char siu butcher.[6]
- Patra Au as Una's mother[7]
In addition, Kenny Wong, Ansonbean, and Zaneta Cheng, the daughter of Lawrence Cheng, make cameo appearances in the film.[8][9]
Reception
[edit]A 3 out of 5 stars review by Edmund Lee in the South China Morning Post wrote that the film was "a corny but wholesome story about a cantankerous old man whose bond with a dog opens a door to more new connections".[10]
Writing for The Guardian, Cath Clarke gave the film 3 out of 5 stars and described it as "a conventional heart-tugger, pushing its sentimental message about the benefits to mind and body of pet ownership, and making a point about social isolation among older people".[11]
Keith Ho, writing for HK01 considered the film as "uplifting and heartwarming", which effectively explores the deep connections between humans and animals and features surprising performances, particularly from the dog actor Little, and successfully addressing complex emotional themes that resonate with audiences.[12]
Christy Yiu of Hong Kong Economic Times found the film to be poignant and meaningful, exploring the redemptive bond between a reclusive elderly man and a stray dog, ultimately emphasizing themes of love and connection, making it a worthwhile watch despite its quieter presence among larger releases.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ Alone No More-film 1014245. Retrieved 2025-01-14 – via www.britinfo.net.
- ^ Wong2023-03-13T00:00:00+00:00, Silvia. "Filmart 2023: Hong Kong and China buzz titles". Screen. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Hong Kong Film Development Council - Approved Projects". Hong Kong Film Development Council. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
- ^ "得寵先生 電影". 百老匯院線 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 2025-01-13.
- ^ 溫敏芝 (22 November 2024). "Amy Lo大讚鄭丹瑞是「甜旦」 廖子妤：我是性格很脆弱的人｜廖子妤盧慧敏專訪". Ming Pao (in Chinese). Retrieved 27 January 2025.
- ^ "《得寵先生》票房報喜增加場次 袁富華歸隊「人寵場」謝票眼濕濕 爆隱藏劇情". Ming Pao (in Chinese). 16 December 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
- ^ "【娛樂場】《得寵先生》 獨居長者與流浪狗療癒之旅". Ming Pao (in Chinese). 30 November 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
- ^ "得寵先生丨鄭丹瑞謝票遇恩師爆喊 直認自己不是乖學生 健康旦與廢佬「佳叔」對談爆兩度輕生". Sing Tao Daily (in Chinese). 26 November 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
- ^ "女兒鄭瑤客串《得寵先生》扮觀眾 鄭丹瑞暗示想抱孫". Ming Pao (in Chinese). 9 November 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
- ^ "Review | An Abandoned Team, feel-good dog rescue drama led by Lawrence Cheng". South China Morning Post. 2024-11-27. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
- ^ Clarke, Cath (2025-01-14). "Alone No More review – touching shaggy dog tale about a stray mutt who rescues a lonely man". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
- ^ Ho, Keith (28 November 2024). "《得寵先生》勵志窩心小品 一場洗滌心靈的療癒之旅｜何故專欄". HK01 (in Chinese). Retrieved 27 January 2025.
- ^ Yiu, Christy (3 December 2024). "《得寵先生》：我們都是被遺棄的 ── 老人與狗的互相救贖". Hong Kong Economic Times (in Chinese). Retrieved 27 January 2025.