Piu fut nam lui

Here's a novel concept: carbonated soft drinks as similes of everyday love problems, mood swings and tragic sentimental dilemmas. OK, so it was probably done somewhere sometime before, but nonetheless, this movie's basic premise had potential, till handed over to bumbling lovey-dovey movie standards featuring typical elements of mediocrity. With chapters inspirationally titled "Finding Fanta", "Searching Sprite" and so on, Love is a Butterfly misses on making a difference when it succumbs to temptation and settles for being another also-ran, complete with a bevy of lame, uninspired characters. Semi-recluse and heartbroken good-doer Coco runs a secluded guesthouse for love-stricken young women oddly known as Country Inn. Gradually, each chapter reveals main characters' problems with finding their calling, one a struggling actress, another getting over betrayal, and lastly a bewildered tarot card reader in need of some enlightenment herself. Each of these protagonists favors a specific brand of soda, supposedly symbolizing their psychological makeup. Before you know it, externally stolid Coco also turns out to be a mess inside, holding on for her lover's return from places unknown. Guess no one's safe. At least Coco subscribes to a more untraditional beverage: ginger coke. Love is a Butterfly makes a big deal out of popping cans and nicely comes close to generating a secluded, oddball atmosphere with its carbonated obsession. Unfortunately, characters get little room to properly mature, plus we run into several of those inevitably irritating comic relief things directors trained in HK love comedy schools feel obliged to incorporate. With a stripped down plot reluctant to deliver on its surprisingly innovative preliminary outline, Love is a Butterfly joins a cornucopia of releases over the last two years with almost nil recommendation value. That's right, almost, not entirely. There's always light at the end of the reel, here given us by hottie Rachel Ngan, previously thought to be merely a babe (after appearing in stuff like Martial Angels) but now deliciously exposing her acting prowess. Vacuous from start to finish, this film goes flat faster than any of its fabled drinking references. Avoid.

Rating: * *