''Look for a Star'' () is a 2009 Hong Kong

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...

film that was produced and directed by

Andrew Lau Andrew Lau Wai-keung ( zh, t=劉偉強, born 4 April 1960) is a Hong Kong film director, producer, and cinematographer. Lau began his career in the 1980s and 1990s, serving as a cinematographer to filmmakers such as Ringo Lam, Wong Jing and ...

. Inspired by the relationship between

Stanley Ho Stanley Ho Hung-sun (; 25 November 192126 May 2020) was a Hong Kong and Macau billionaire businessman. He was the founder and chairman of SJM Holdings, which owns nineteen casinos in Macau including the Grand Lisboa. Ho was nicknamed variou ...

and his fourth wife, Angela Leong, the film stars

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 ...

as a billionaire, who falls in love with a feisty casino dealer played by

Shu Qi Lin Li-hui (born 16 April 1976) ( zh, c=林立慧), better known by her stage name Shu Qi ( zh, c=舒淇), is a Hong Kong–Taiwanese actress and model. Widely regarded as one of the most successful Taiwanese actresses of all time, Shu has receive ...

. ''Look for a Star'' was shot at the MGM Grand in Macau, and was released in Hong Kong on 26 January 2009.

Plot

It is

love at first sight Love at first sight is a personal experience and a common theme in creative works: a person or character feels an instant, extreme, and ultimately long-lasting romantic attraction for a stranger upon first seeing that stranger. It has been desc ...

when Sam chances upon a feisty, fast-talking woman with the odd name of Milan at a Macau casino. But the catch is, she is a part-time

baccarat Baccarat or baccara (; ) is a card game. It is now mainly played at casinos, but formerly popular at house-parties and private gaming rooms. The game's origins are a mixture of precursors from China, Japan, and Korea, which then gained popularit ...

dealer and a full-time cabaret dancer, "careers" not exactly congruent with his station in life. Falling in love against all odds, this mismatched couple soon makes headline in all media turning Milan into an

It girl An "it girl" is an attractive, well-known young woman who is perceived to have both sex appeal and a personality that is especially engaging. The expression ''it girl'' originated in British upper-class society around the turn of the 20th&nbs ...

overnight.

Cast

Production

''Look for a Star'' is a Hong Kong and Chinese co-production that marks the sixth collaboration between producer, director, and cinematographer

and

Cantopop Cantopop (a contraction of "Cantonese pop music") is a genre of pop music sung in Cantonese. Cantopop is also used to refer to the cultural context of its production and consumption. The genre began in the 1970s and became associated with Hon ...

singer and actor

. It is also the second film collaboration between Andy Lau and actress

. Both actors and the director worked together on the 2002 science fiction action film, ''

The Wesley's Mysterious File ''The Wesley's Mysterious File'' (衛斯理藍血人) is a 2002 Hong Kong action science fiction film directed by Andrew Lau starring Andy Lau, Rosamund Kwan and Shu Qi. Hong Kong director Wong Jing also makes a cameo appearance. The film is an ...

'', although Andy Lau had expressed wanting to make a romantic comedy with Shu. ''Look for a Star'' was distributed by

Media Asia Entertainment Group Media Asia Entertainment Group (, ) is a Hong Kong production company and film distributor for films made in Hong Kong and throughout China. It is a subsidiary of Lai Sun Development Company Ltd. History Headquartered in Hong Kong and lis ...

in Hong Kong and produced by Media Asia, Chinese film studio Huayi Brothers, and Andrew Lau's production company,

Basic Pictures Basic Pictures Ltd. () is a Hong Kong production company that was established in 2002 by filmmaker Andrew Lau. Since its establishment, the company has gone to produce film that include the ''Infernal Affairs ''Infernal Affairs'' () is ...

. Shot under a budget of

HK$ The Hong Kong dollar (, sign: HK$; code: HKD) is the official currency of Hong Kong. It is divided into 100 cents. Historically, it was also divided into 1000 mils. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority is the monetary authority of Hong Kong an ...

45 million,Macau the starry backdrop, "Look For A Star" to be awaited
the film is reportedly based on the relationship between casino tycoon

and his fourth wife, Angela Leong.AndyLauSounds - home of andy lau's fans: Shu Qi declare her love for Andy in public
/ref>

Filming

''Look for a Star'' was supported by the Macau Government Tourist Office, and shot at the

MGM Grand Macau MGM Macau (; formerly known as MGM Grand Macau) is a 35-story, 600-room casino resort in Sé, Macau, Sé, Macau. Under a Gambling in Macau, sub concession approved by the Macau government, the pro ...

, best known for its spectacular Grande Praca swimming pool and deluxe villa suites. Other filming locations included Macau's Southern European architecture, including the Old Ladies House, the Guia Lighthouse and the Coloane village.Direcção dos Serviços de Turismo - eZone - Macau Travel Talk

Accolades

References

External links

* * {{Andrew Lau 2009 films 2009 romantic comedy films Hong Kong romantic comedy films Media Asia films Basic Pictures films 2000s Cantonese-language films Films directed by Andrew Lau Films set in Macau Films shot in Macau 2000s Hong Kong films