A Simple Life -2011-2011 ✦ Tested

For those who haven’t seen it, the plot is deceptively straightforward: Roger (Andy Lau) is a busy Hong Kong film producer. Ah Tao (Deanie Ip) is the loyal family amah (servant) who has raised him since childhood. After she suffers a stroke, the roles reverse. Roger becomes the caretaker, and Ah Tao insists on moving into a nursing home to avoid being a burden.

Year of Release: 2011 Director: Ann Hui Starring: Andy Lau, Deanie Ip A Simple Life -2011-2011

#ASimpleLife #AnnHui #HongKongCinema #MovieReview #DeanieIp #AndyLau For those who haven’t seen it, the plot

I recently re-watched Ann Hui’s masterpiece from 2011, and I was reminded that the word “simple” in the title is a bit of a misnomer. The life portrayed here is simple in setting, but profoundly complex in emotion. Roger becomes the caretaker, and Ah Tao insists

Andy Lau famously shed his movie star persona for this role, playing Roger as tired, awkward, and genuinely unsure of how to handle emotions. The film asks a difficult question: What do we owe the people who served us? For Roger, the answer is simple. He owes her his presence.

5/5 tissues. Keep the box nearby, especially for the final scene at the cemetery. You have been warned. Have you seen A Simple Life ? Did it change how you view the elderly in your own life? Let me know in the comments.

It is a reminder that the greatest love stories aren't always about romance. Sometimes, they are about a man buying a pair of shoes for the woman who used to tie his.