Dreamlike Cityscapes

Wait ‘Til You're Older

Dir: Teddy Chen
Scrs: Cheung Chi-kwong, Susan Chan
Prod Co: Media Asia, Sil-Metropole
Cast: Andy Lau, Karen Mok Man-wai, Felix Wong, Cherrie Ying, Lam Ka-tung
2005 | Colour | 35mm | Cantonese | Chi & Eng Subtitles | 93min

Kwong is a young boy living with his father and stepmother, whom he blames for his mother’s suicide three years earlier. Resentful and unhappy, he frequently runs away from home. One day, he encounters a mysterious drifter in a park and steals the drifter’s magic potion, which accelerates the growth of any living thing. Overnight, Kwong transforms into a twenty-year-old man. Thrilled by his newfound freedom, he seizes the chance to leave home unnoticed and even flirts with his attractive schoolteacher. However, the potion not only causes Kwong to grow up quickly but also makes him age rapidly. Through this extraordinary transformation, he gains profound insights into life and uncovers the truth behind his mother’s tragic death.

Andy Lau takes on the demanding lead role, portraying Kwong from a young adult to an elderly man, with the help of special-effects make-up by Hollywood artists to make the transformation convincing. Best known for action films, director Teddy Chan attempts to deliver a fable-like drama for adults, blending fantasy with thoughtful reflections on regret and the bittersweet nature of life. The father-son relationship at the heart of the film is especially affecting, making the piece a standout in Hong Kong’s commercial cinema. Both touching and entertaining, the film ranked second among all Chinese-language films in Hong Kong at the time of its release.

Courtesy of Media Asia Film Distribution (HK) Limited

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