''Fat Choi Spirit'' () is a 2002 Hong Kong

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

produced and directed by

Johnnie To Johnnie To Kei-fung (born 22 April 1955) is a Hong Kong filmmaker. Popular in his native Hong Kong, To has also found acclaim overseas. Intensely prolific, To has made films in a variety of genres, though in the West he is best known for his H ...

and Wai Ka-fai, and starring

Andy Lau Andy Lau Tak-wah ( zh, order=t,j, t=劉德華, j=Lau4 Dak1 Waa4; born Lau Fook-wing; 27 September 1961), is a Hong Kong actor, singer-songwriter and film producer. He was named the "Fourth Tiger" among the Five Tiger Generals of TVB in the 1 ...

, Lau Ching-wan,

Louis Koo Louis Koo Tin-lok ( zh, t=古天樂; born 21 October 1970) is a Hong Kong people, Hong Kong actor, singer, and film producer. He began his professional career as an actor in local television series, receiving recognition for his roles in ''The C ...

, Gigi Leung and Cherrie In. The film is a comedy, falling into the peculiar

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

genre of

mahjong Mahjong (English pronunciation: ; also transliterated as mah jongg, mah-jongg, and mahjongg) is a tile-based game that was developed in the 19th century in China and has spread throughout the world since the early 20th century. It is played ...

films, and was released during the

Lunar New Year Lunar New Year is the beginning of a new year based on lunar calendars or, informally, lunisolar calendars. Lunar calendar years begin with a new moon and have a fixed number of lunar months, usually twelve, in contrast to lunisolar calendar ye ...

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 has a hard time running away from debt collectors. One day he meets a woman named Gigi after a run-in with some of the debt collectors' men. Gigi starts out as a thief, but because she falls for him and gives him immense luck, Andy has extreme good luck in mahjong games and becomes very rich. However, he refuses to marry Gigi because she, though a nice woman when with him, is a sore loser who throws temper tantrums when on the verge of losing mahjong games. She cannot understand that he cannot stand the way she behaves. As Andy says, her behaviour is revealed by just playing a game of mahjong where when she loses, she would throw the tables. He promises to marry her if she can play a game of mahjong without such a bad temper. She cannot and so he does not marry her, though he loves her. In the meantime, Andy finds his mother, who is now suffering from Alzheimer's disease. His brother faces bankruptcy and moves in with Andy, who lives in a bungalow. Not wanting to lose out on finding a job, Louis who has excellent luck in mahjong but zero skill, gets conned out of all his money and even his clothes by a skilled, devious mahjong player, Sean. A kind-hearted simpleton, a woman on the con team, Cherrie, falls for him and decides to mend her ways. Gigi, who is very disappointed with Andy's refusal to marry her, falls in with a bad crowd: the mahjong con men led by Sean. Andy, who is cursed by Gigi, loses his winning streak and instead works as a taxi driver and moves into public housing. Being ever optimistic, he does not complain. However, not wanting Gigi to fall into the con men's trap, he plays a game of mahjong with Sean and loses badly. Gigi is touched by his actions and goes back to him, promising she will return a better woman. Before she leaves, she gives Andy a blessing and, from there on, Andy's winning streak returns. Louis, who had created a mahjong computer game with his new girlfriend (Cherrie), receives word that there will be a mahjong tournament sponsored by his game. The ever optimistic Andy enters the contest and competes against Sean. Before the tournament begins, he discovers that Gigi has returned to her old job as a

flight attendant A flight attendant is a member of the aircrew whose primary responsibility is ensure the safety of passengers in the cabin of an aircraft across all stages of flight. Their secondary duty is to see to the comfort of passengers. Flight attenda ...

and sends him lucky items from around the world. During the tournament, Andy is able to secure a seat in the final match, which includes Sean, Sean's father, and a henchman. Andy easily wins the match but is confronted by Sean, who wants a rematch. Andy agrees. Before the match ends, Andy gives the prize to Sean. Sean, surprised, looks at Andy's hand, which is a major breakthrough set. Sean realizes all his mistakes and decides to learn from Andy. Andy regains all his money and starts a mahjong school by the sea. He eventually marries Gigi.

Cast

as Andy * Gigi Leung as Gigi *

Sean Lau Sean Lau Ching-wan (born 16 February 1964) is a Hong Kong actor who has acted in both films and television series. He is best known for starring in the films '' C'est la vie, mon chéri'' (1993), '' My Name Is Fame'' (2006), '' Mad Detective'' ( ...

as Ching-wan (Sean) *

as Louis * Cherrie Ying as Cherrie * Wong Tin-lam as Ching-wan's Father * Bonnie Wong Man-wai as Andy and Louis's Mother * Angela Tong as Mahjong Player * Wong Wah-wo as Mahjong Player * Lung Tin-sang as Fat Uncle's Man * Hung Wai-leung as Fat Uncle's Man * Yuen Ling-to as Fat Uncle's Man * Four Tse Liu-shut *

Matt Chow Matthew Chow Hoi-Kwong (, born 4 August 1968) is a Hong Kong screenwriter, director, actor and producer. He is best known for his romantic comedy films, and has served as a screenwriter for filmmakers Peter Chan, Johnnie To, Wai Ka-Fai, and ...

External links

*
Review 1

{{MilkywayImage Hong Kong comedy films 2002 films 2000s Cantonese-language films 2002 comedy films Hong Kong films about gambling China Star Entertainment Group films Milkyway Image films Films directed by Johnnie To Films directed by Wai Ka-Fai Films set in Hong Kong Films shot in Hong Kong Films with screenplays by Yau Nai-hoi Films with screenplays by Wai Ka-fai Works about mahjong Chinese New Year films 2000s Hong Kong films Films scored by Raymond Wong

Plot

Cast

See also

External links