A Better Tomorrow (1986)
"Ying hung boon sik" (original title)

R  |   |  Action, Crime, Drama  |  2 August 1986 (Hong Kong)
7.6
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Ratings: 7.6/10 from 15,063 users  
Reviews: 88 user | 57 critic

A reforming ex-gangster tries to reconcile with his estranged policeman brother, but the ties to his former gang are difficult to break.

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(as Chan Hing Kai) , (as Leung Suk Wah) , 1 more credit »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lung Ti ...
Sung Tse-Ho (as Ti Lung)
...
Mark (as Chow Yun Fat)
...
Emily Chu ...
Waise Lee ...
Shing (as Lee Chi Hung)
Feng Tien ...
Father Sung
...
Yanzi Shi ...
Mr. Yiu
...
Ken
Fui-On Shing ...
Hsieh Wang ...
Mr. Wang (as Hap Wong)
Chi Fai Chan ...
'Little' Wang
Ming Leung ...
Uncle Chan
Hing-Yin Kam ...
Mr. Mok
Pierre Tremblay ...
Interpol Officer
Edit

Storyline

This story is the tale of two brothers: one a successful counterfeiter and the younger a fledgling graduate of the HK police academy. The plot revolves around the split when the younger brother learns the other is a criminal and the efforts of the criminal brother to reform. Along the way are plenty of heists, double-crosses, and shoot outs. Written by Victor R. Volkman <sysop@hal9k.com>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

The movie that began it all......... See more »


Certificate:

R | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

| |

Release Date:

2 August 1986 (Hong Kong)  »

Also Known As:

A Better Tomorrow  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

,  »
Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

During the nightclub scene, the song being played in the background is the Cantonese version of a classic South Korean song called 'Hee Na Ree' sung originally by Goo Chang-mo in 1985. The Cantonese version in the movie was sung by Roman Tam, considered the "godfather" of the musical genre Cantopop. See more »

Goofs

The cameraman can be seen in the reflections of peoples' sunglasses throughout the film. See more »

Quotes

Ho Tse Sung: Kit...
Tse-Kit Sung: Don't ever call me Kit again! You will adress me as "Officer!"
Ho Tse Sung: Officer... I'm no longer the Big Boss. I haven't the Big Boss for a long time.
See more »

Connections

Spoofed in The Romancing Star (1987) See more »

Soundtracks

Birdy's Flight
Written and performed by Peter Gabriel
See more »

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User Reviews

 
the start of a trend
20 August 2000 | by (Winnipeg, Canada) – See all my reviews

In the 1980s, Chinese and Taiwanese films stormed into European and American art-house theatres, while for less fastidious audiences, Hong Kong provided cult action films, first Kung Fu pictures then gangster flicks. John Woo became the Crown Colony's hottest director through his kinetic crime flicks that filtered the lyrical violence of Sergio Leone, Sam Peckinpah, and Walter Hill through an Asian sensibility and re-exported it to the States where Quentin Tarantino became a major admirer. Woo's trademarks are the stand-off, where two or more gunmen hold each other at bay, and the ferocious gunfight in which dozens of people are killed and restaurants blown apart as the hero pirouettes and somersaults while blasting away with two automatic pistols to throbbing, synthesized Western music. "A Better Tomorrow" is a characteristic fable of male friendship, stoicism, courage, and men living by a personal code, in which women are marginalized. It made an overnight star of Chow Yun Fat, who appeared in most of Woo's pictures. The handsome, reserved, athletic Chow is the epitome of Hong Kong movie cool, a moral man in an amoral world, his character is much the same whatever side of the law he is on. The movie also introduced Leslie Cheung, who was to become an iconic figure in mainland Chinese cinema.


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