Fat Choi Spirit

Infobox Film
name = Fat Choi Spirit


image_size = 240px
caption =
director = Johnnie To
Wai Ka-Fai
producer = Johnnie To
Wai Ka-Fai
Presented by
Charles Heung
Administrative Producer
Tiffany Chen
writer = Wai Ka-Fai
Yau Nai-Hoi
Au Kin-Yee
narrator =
starring = Andy Lau
Gigi Leung
Louis Koo
Lau Ching-Wan
Cherrie In
music =
cinematography = Cheng Siu-Keung
editing = Law Wing-Cheong
Yau Chi Wai
distributor = flagicon|Hong Kong China Star Entertainment Group
released = 2002
runtime = 96 min
country = flagicon|Hong Kong Hong Kong
language = Cantonese
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0307034

"Fat Choi Spirit" (zh-st|s=呖咕呖咕新年财|t=嚦咕嚦咕新年財) is a 2002 Hong Kong comedy film produced and directed by Johnnie To and Wai Ka-Fai, and starring Andy Lau, Gigi Leung, Louis Koo, Cherrie In and Lau Ching-Wan.

The film is a comedy, falling into the peculiar Hong Kong genre of Mahjong movies, and was released during the Lunar New Year of 2002.

Plot

Andy is an extremely compulsive Mahjong player. Thrown out of the house by his mother and ignored by his more academically gifted and successful younger brother, Louis, he had a hard time running away from debt collectors until one day he met a young girl after a run in with some of the debt collector's men named Gigi. Whilst this Gigi started out as a thief, but because she fell for him and gave him immense luck, Andy gained great success with his extreme good luck in mahjong games and became very rich. However he refused to marry Gigi because she, though a nice woman when with him, was in reality quite a sore loser who threw tempertantrums while on the verge of losing mahjong games, who could not understand that he couldn't stand the way she behaved. As Andy said, her behaviour could be revealed by just playing a game of mahjong where when she lost, she would throw the tables, etc., etc., etc., he promised he will marry her if she could play a game of mahjong without such bad temper. She couldn't and so he couldn't marry her though he loved her. In the meantime, Andy found his mother who was now suffering from Alzheimer disease and his brother who faced bankruptcy and moved in with Andy, who coincidentally lived in a bungalow. Not wanting to lose out in finding a job, Louis who had excellent luck in Mahjong but zero skill, was conned out of all his money and even his clothes by a skilled, yet devious mahjong player, portrayed by Lau Ching-wan. But being a kind hearted simpleton, a woman on the con team, (Cherrie) fell for him and decided to mend her ways.

In the meantime, Gigi who was very disappointed with Andy's refusal to marry her, went with the bad crowd, in the form of mahjong con men lead by Lau Ching-wan. Andy who was cursed by Gigi lost his winning streak and instead, found a living as a taxi driver and moved into public housing. Being ever optimistic, he did not complain. However, not wanting Gigi to fall into the con men's trap, he played a game of mahjong with Sean and lost terribly. But Gigi was touched by his actions and went back to him, promising she will return a better woman. But before she left, she gave Andy a blessing and from there on, Andy's winning streak came back. Louis who had created a mahjong computer game with his new girlfriend (Cherrie), received word that there would be a Mahjong tournament sponsored by his game. The ever optimistic Andy decided to join the contest which saw him competing against Sean. Before the tournament began, he discovered that Gigi had returned to her old job as a stewardess and gave him a lot of good fortune items from around the world. During the tournament, Andy was able to secure a seat in the final match which also included Sean, Sean's father and a henchman. Andy easily won the match but was then confronted by Sean to have a rematch. Andy agreed and the two of them squared off. Before the match could end, Andy gave up and gave the prize to Sean. Sean, surprised at what had happened, decided to look at Andy's hand, which was a major breakthrough set. Sean realized all his mistakes and decided to learn from Andy. Andy then regained all his money and started a Mahjong school by the sea. He eventually got married with Gigi and they lived in prosperity since then.

Cast

* Andy Lau Tak-Wah - Andy
* Gigi Leung Wing-Kei - Gigi
* Lau Ching-Wan - Ching Wan
* Louis Koo Tin-Lok - Louis
* Cherrie Ying Choi-Yi - Cherrie
* Wong Tin-Lam - Ching Wan's Father
* Bonnie Wong Man-Wai - Andy and Louis's Mother
* Angela Tong Ying-Ying
* Lung Tin Sang
* Four Tse Liu Shut
* Matt Chow

ee also

*Cinema of Hong Kong

External links

* [http://hk.yahoo.com/promotions/fatchoi/ Official Movie Site (Chinese}]
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* [http://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews/fat_choi_spirit.htm Review 1]
* [http://www.kowloonside.com/movies/fatchoispirit.html Review 2]
* [http://www.heroic-cinema.com/films/fat_choi_spirit.htm Review 3]