Love Hurts

With her half-thriller, half- tearjerker movie Jade Goddess of Mercy, Ann Hui has become the answer to an unlikely question: "What would you get if you combined Richard Donner (Lethal Weapon) and Jane Campion (The Piano)?" One of Hong Kong's few female filmmakers, Hui is best known for character-driven dramas such as July Rhapsody. But partway through Goddess, she gives in to her basic, box-office instinct to deliver what the people want: lots of gunplay.

The film centers on an idealistic Chinese antidrug cop (Vicky Zhao Wei) in Yunnan province who becomes emotionally entangled with a handsome stranger (Hong Kong's Nicholas Tse, with sideburns at proper idol-length). Tse turns out to be a drug smuggler, and because carnally cavorting with convicted criminals is a no-no in the Public Security Bureau, Goddess abruptly switches gears to an '80s cop-revenge drama, complete with shootouts and children in peril. All that's missing is Mel Gibson and Danny Glover engaging in witty repartee and senseless violence.

Despite plot twists that strain credulity, the film works, thanks mostly to Zhao's soulful performance as a cop torn between love, duty and motherhood. With her elfin stature, Zhao couldn't intimidate a jaywalker, but her convincing portrayal confirms her status as one of China's best actresses. Goddess's real success is its rewarding fusion of mainstream mainland actors with Hong Kong indie vision, pointing the way for future cross-border collaborations. When Zhao and Tse exchange smoldering glances (and occasional gunfire), one country, two systems never looked so good.