THE KING OF COMEDY - REVIEW

Stephen Chow takes on the world of acting in this typically goofy comedy about a clumsy but driven extra and his struggles to make it big in movies and doesn't disappoint.

Although this isn't quite as cartoonish an outing as we've come to expect from Chow there's still plenty of silliness to enjoy. Watch out for a dramatic death scene involving gross dangling nose fluid and a shameless, cockroach-loving prostitute. There's also a fun Jackie Chan cameo and repeated piss-takes of overblown John Woo-style thrillers complete with gun face-offs, black trenchcoats, flying doves and churches.

The film gradually grows a heart and introduces a promising romance between a young "club girl" and Chow's character but when a big name actress gives Chow the role of his life the film loses confidence and takes an odd sudden turn. The third act turns into some kind of dark cop thriller and a lot of the romance is washed over and is left under-developed making the ending seem somewhat rushed.

That said, for what it is, King Of Comedy is good fun and although it won't necessarily leave a permanent imprint of itself in your mind it's a film worth checking out if you like that sort of thing.