Overheard (film)

Overheard
Theatrical poster
Traditional	竊聽風雲
Simplified	窃听风云
Directed by	Alan Mak Felix Chong
Produced by	Henry Fong Derek Yee
Written by	Alan Mak Felix Chong
Starring	Lau Ching-Wan Louis Koo Daniel Wu
Music by	Chan Kwong-Wing
Cinematography	Anthony Pun
Editing by	Kwong Chi-Leung Chan Chi-Wai
Studio	Sil-Metropole Organisation Pop Movies
Distributed by	Distribution Workshop (Hong Kong) Polybona Films (China)
Release date(s)	30 July 2009 (HK and Malaysia) [1]
Running time	99 minutes
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Cantonese English
Budget	HK$5-10 million [2]

Overheard (traditional Chinese: 竊聽風雲; simplified Chinese: 窃听风云; pinyin: Qie Ting Feng Yun; Cantonese Yale: Sit Teng Fung Wan) is a 2009 Hong Kong crime thriller film written and directed by Alan Mak and Felix Chong, and produced by Henry Fong and Derek Yee. The film stars Lau Ching-Wan, Louis Koo and Daniel Wu as a trio of police officers conducting surveillance on a public company. The film was released theatrically in Hong Kong on 30 July 2009.

Plot

A major stock exchange in the world, Hong Kong attracts not only money but any who try to manipulate the market. At the Hong Kong Police Force Commercial Crime Bureau, an operation is underway to infiltrate a trading company, Feng Hua International where a man, nicknamed “Boss” is the chief suspect.

The team of Criminal Intelligence Bureau (CIB) officers , led by Inspector Leung (Lau Ching Wan) together with Yeung (Louis Koo) and Lam (Daniel Wu), installs interception devices to monitor the company’s communications. Yeung is a family man, has a wife, a daughter, and a son who is suffering from a serious illness and needs constant attention, while Lam, a young new comer to the team, is to be married to the daughter of a wealthy man. Leung is a calm experienced officer who is having an affair with Mandy (Zhang Jingchu) who happens to be the wife of his friend Lee (Alex Fong).

One night, while monitoring a conversation between the company's manager and his secretary, Yeung and Lam overhear that the stock price will surge on market opening the next day. Seeing an opportunity, Yeung asks Lam to delete the portion of the recording so he can take advantage of it. The next day, Lam opened an account at a stock brokerage house but was discovered by Leung. However, Lam has already invested in the stock on a deep loan. The stock rose quickly, but before the trio manages to sell it, trading was suspended due to unusual trading activity.

Back in the operation center, the three of them overhear a plot of murder to the manager using a listening device planted unofficially. To report the intelligence would lead them to suspicion, and ruin their future, and Lam begs Leung not to report it. Having thought about it, Leung decides instead to stop the murder themselves. They ambush the murderer as he force-feeds the unconscious manager with pills to fake a death scene.

Leung's face, however, was briefly seen by the manager's girlfriend, and this allows the "Boss" to track them down, seeking retribution, and organize the deaths of the Leung, Lam, Yeung, and his family. Because of Leung's compassion for his subordinates mistakes, and unwillingness to turn them in and seek help from the rest of the police force, he was unable to stop their unnecessary deaths.

Cast

• Lau Ching-Wan as Johnny Leung
• Louis Koo as Gene Yeung
• Daniel Wu as Max Lam
• Zhang Jingchu as Mandy Yam
• Alex Fong Chung-Sun as Kelvin Lee
• Lam Ka-Wah as Frankie Wong
• Waise Lee as Ringo Low
• Michael Wong as Willie Ma

Production

Overheard was written and directed by Alan Mak and Felix Chong, the writers behind the Infernal Affairs trilogy. The film was produced by Sil-Metropole Organisation and Pop Movies, the production company behind Chong and Mak's previous film Lady Cop & Papa Crook. The film was produced by Derek Yee, who previously worked with the film's lead actors Lau Ching-Wan, Louis Koo and Daniel Wu. Yee has described the film as an "ensemble film", since it was hard to get all three actors to work together on one film. Before filming began, Daniel Wu held a party at his home with the rest of the lead actors, so they could establish their on-screen chemistry beforehand. ^[3]

The film also marks the ninth collaboration between actors Lau Ching-Wan and Louis Koo. When the directors first approached him with the screenplay, Koo thought that they were playing a trick on him, since his character was much older than Lau's character. To prepare for the role, he had to apply makeup, gain 30 pounds and get a new hairstyle. ^[4]

An integral part of the movie is the use of headphones, amongst other listening equipment: 2 seen are the Audio-Technica ATH-PRO700 and the TDK ST-PR300.

Marketing

The film's teaser poster shows a severed ear on a mouse trap. According to directors Alan Mak and Felix Chong, the imagery of the poster was to convey the darkness that the human soul is capable of. ^[5]

Awards and nominations

16th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award

• Won: Best Director (Alan Mak and Felix Chong)
• Film of Merit

29th Hong Kong Film Awards

• Nominated: Best Film
• Nominated: Best Director (Alan Mak and Felix Chong)
• Nominated: Best Screenplay (Alan Mak and Felix Chong)
• Nominated: Best Actor (Lau Ching-Wan)
• Nominated: Best Supporting Actor (Alex Fong)
• Won: Best Film Editing (Kong Chi Leung and Chan Chi Wai)

Sequel

Due to the film's great success, the sequel Overheard 2 began production and tentatively release in 2011.^[6]

References

1. ^ RAM ENTERTAINMENT
2. ^ The Film Catalogue - Overheard - Distribution Workshop - www.thefilmcatalogue.com
3. ^ HKSAR Film No Top 10 Box Office: [2009.06.08 DANIEL WU HOST PARTY FOR OVERHEARD]
4. ^ HKSAR Film No Top 10 Box Office: [2009.06.03 OVERHEARD PRESS CONFERENCE]
5. ^ All Ears for Overheard « Fond Regrets
6. ^ "Overheard Two will soon begin production". Asia Pacific Arts. 03/04/2011. http://asiapacificarts.usc.edu/article@apa?overheard_two_will_soon_begin_production_16473.aspx. 

External links

• Overheard at the Internet Movie Database