Itwasthe1920s,andShanghaiwastheParisoftheEast.Ameltingpotofdifferentcultures,ShanghaiBeachwasthecenteroftheaction.Thewaterfrontwasfilledwithcasinos,nightclubs,andbrothels.Thisisthesettingofoneofthemostepictalesofloveandbetrayal-ShanghaiBeach.Starringthelegendaryactor,ChowYun-Fat,anddirectedbytheequallytalented,LeslieCheung,ShanghaiBeachisaquintessentialChinesedramathatwillleaveyoucaptivatedforhours.
TheCharismaticHero
AttheheartofShanghaiBeachisthecharismatichero,HuiMan-keung.PlayedbyChowYun-Fat,Huiisacomplexandnuancedcharacter.Agangsterwithaheartofgold,heisbothfearedandreveredonthestreetsofShanghai.Butbeneaththetoughexteriorliesamanwhoisconsumedbyhisloveforthebeautifulandenigmatic,Fleur.Theirlovestoryisonefortheages,spanningdecadesandcontinents.HuiandFleur'sloveisthebeatingheartofShanghaiBeach,andit'simpossiblenottobemovedbytheirpassionateromance.
TheFemmeFatale
Everygoodlovestoryneedsavillain,andinShanghaiBeach,it'stheseductiveanddangerous,Jin.Playedbyactress,AngieChiu,Jinisafemmefatalewhowillstopatnothingtogetwhatshewants.Inthiscase,whatshewantsisHui.HerobsessiveloveforHuidriveshertobetraythoseclosesttoher,includingFleur.JinistheperfectfoiltoFleur'sinnocence,andtheirrivalryisoneofthekeydriversoftheplot.
ThePriceofRedemption
Aswithanygooddrama,thestakesarehighinShanghaiBeach.Thecharacters'actionshaveconsequencesthatripplethroughtheyears.Betrayalsleadtorevenge,andrevengeleadstotragedy.Butatthecoreofthistaleisthethemeofredemption.HuiMan-keungisnotaperfecthero.Heisflawedandhasmadeterriblechoicesinhislife.Butoverthecourseofthestory,hegrowsandchanges.Helearnsthevalueofloyalty,love,andsacrifice.ItisthroughhisredemptionthatweseethetrueheartofShanghaiBeach-astoryaboutthepoweroflovetoovercomeeventhedarkestofcircumstances.
ShanghaiBeachisamasterpieceofChinesedrama.Itssweepingtaleofloveandbetrayalhascapturedtheheartsofaudiencesallovertheworld.TheperformancesofChowYun-Fat,LeslieCheung,AngieChiu,andtherestofthecastarenothingshortofbrilliant.Ifyou'relookingforadramathatwillleaveyouemotionallydrainedbutuplifted,thenlooknofurtherthanShanghaiBeach.