妻子的罪恶

　　迷幻少女遇著過氣公安老頭，未必是貓捉老鼠累鬥累，也可以是從老前輩身上學會認識自己。阿 P 為追阿初欠她的債，偶然與阿初的外公相遇，兩個生活態度南轅北轍的人，就是這樣在荒謬的處境中相互學習。阿P在當中看見年青一代的無奈：十六歲的迷途青春、愛情的無助、軟性毒品的蠶食、面對父母失敗的婚姻、自己渾噩的前途....阿初無故失蹤，又是否因抵受不了同樣殘酷的青春？世情像玻璃，有時看得透，有時不，相同的只是：兩者同樣冰冷易碎。
　　The second feature from Hong Kong indie director Carol Lai is about the vulnerability of youth, made even more fragile by the vulnerable world of the adults. Grandpa Wu used to be a policeman in Mainland China and has now retired to a life of seclusion on an outlying island. One day, her daughter calls him up and reports that his granddaughter Ah Cho is again missing. The old man hits the road again, in search of the young girl. Then P, Ah Cho's best friend, emerges out of nowhere and heads Wu's search, leading the old man into a series of strange encounters in the uncharted world of frustrated youth.
　　Source: 25th HKIFF (2001)

　　Summary
　　Bullied by his matriarchal mother, abused by his siblings, ignored by his father, Poil de Carotte's childhood is as miserable as it could be. An illegitimate child, he is the main reason for the enmity which exists between his parents, who continue to live together just to keep up appearances. In the end, Poil de Carotte's suffering becomes more than he can bear...
　　Review
　　Drawing heavily on the poignant novel by Jules Renard on which it is based, Poil de carotte is a modest yet appealing film which has stood the test of time mainly because of the quality of its acting performances and its inherent humanity. It is more memorable than Julien Duvivier's earlier silent version of 1925, also named Poil de Carotte.
　　The part of Poil de Carotte was played by 11 year old Robert Lynen, who was alleged to have been discovered whilst walking down the Champs-Elysées in Paris. Lynen is totally captivating and the film made him an instant star, launching what looked like becoming a very promising film career – until he was shot dead whilst fighting against the Germans in 1944. Harry Baur, a legendary stage and film actor (who also died during World War II, allegedly at the hands of the Gestapo), also turns in a typically fine performance. The reconciliation between father and son at the end of the film provides its most enduring image, enough to melt the heart of all but the most stoical of spectators.

　　少女林晓阳（杨林 饰）爱看漫画，常幻想自己是细川智荣子少女漫画《尼罗河女儿》主角。她生活在繁华的台北，白天在肯德基当店员，晚上在夜校读书。晓阳与家人住在一座简陋的平房里，祖父（李天禄 饰）是个风趣的老头。父亲（崔福生 饰）在嘉义当员警，常年在外执勤。母亲去世后，晓阳肩负起母亲的职责，照顾上了年纪的父亲及上学的妹妹，并整天为哥哥担心。
　　哥哥（高捷 饰）与朋友合开一家餐厅，白天工作，晚上当小偷，却能照顾到家人。父亲和哥哥爆发冲突时，晓阳总是站在哥哥一边。她暗恋上哥哥的朋友阿三，却不知阿三爱着别人。种种事实让她感到气愤、悲伤和绝望，并在遭受打击后成熟清醒。