Mr. DuLac’s review published on Letterboxd:
Who is behind this?
-Kei
Tell me you have a Johnnie To film that I haven't seen that is basically just a rehash of The Mission or Exiled with almost the exact same cast and I would be as happy as a pig in the proverbial shit. Funny enough though the director's films that take a different approach while proving he isn't just a one trick pony make me just as happy because I know I'm always in for something special.
This is one of those films. Even though on the surface it can be considered a crime film about a group of four men it is vastly different then something like the excellent Exiled. First of all these "career criminals" are pickpockets and don't even own a single gun between the four of them. Secondly? The entire film features NO GUN PLAY to speak of.
Not a single shot fired in a Johnnie To film might sound like a crime against nature to some, but I have to say this is one of his most charming films that I've ever seen from the Hong Kong director with a touch of class that I thought was reserved for films from the 50s and 60s. It's tone is very light and fun as it might be best described as a bit of a caper film maybe, with a lot of comedic elements and some drama thrown in for good measure.
Even the title of the film is a bit of fun. Sparrow is slang for pickpocket, but it's also a theme for one (or more) characters in the film, mainly the representation of the bird trying to free itself from it's cage. A good portion of the film though is a bit of a mystery as a gorgeous woman (Kelly Lin) enters the lives of our pickpockets seemingly out of nowhere. What she wants and her motivations are kept secret in a great script that keeps you guessing until the third act.
Like a great majority of To films however, it's main source of entertainment is from the friendships or brotherhood between criminals, here being the four pickpockets. In true To fashion the four are all regulars of his films including Gordon Lam Ka-Tung, Law Wing-Cheong and Kenneth Cheung with the fantastic Simon Yam as the leader of the group. Yam as Kei is just a great character to watch. He makes his money with his friends through pickpocketing and then simply enjoys a carefree life as his main transportation in Hong Kong is his bicycle while his main hobby is photography with a vintage camera.
Keep in mind there is no gun play in this film so it all climaxes in a visually striking pickpocket showdown that takes place in the rain with scores of umbrellas that always seem to be just barely hiding the eyes of it's users. Instead of an over the top firefight with 2 second cut scenes, you get what is essentially a game of chest between two master pickpockets and their pawns with nice long shots that mostly take place in slow motion. A beautiful ending to a great film.
Should also be noted that the film was made over a period of three years as the cast and crew would get together every three or four months between projects to shoot more of the film. The sense that it wasn't shot under time constraints or pressure really comes through in it's light and fun tone. Really enjoyed this a great deal.