Life without Principle

Johnnie To, one of the most distinctive directors of Hong Kong cinema, returns home after a series of projects pandering to international festivals or the Chinese market. His latest picture reminds us that the strength of his films lies in ingenious scripts with meticulously developed twists, engaging characters portrayed by leading talent, a focus on local issues of Hong Kong and a precise style which adds a gripping quality even to non-dramatic dialogues. This superb crime drama from the time of the financial crisis tells about several people from various social backgrounds who sink into financial trouble, and through them shows greed as the root of all evil in human society.