"Curry and Pepper" is a fairly standard cop/buddy flick in the mode of "Lethal Weapon", elevated to greatness--at least in a sense--by its overwhelming slashy subtext. A friend aptly called the film "a Hong Kong Starsky & Hutch", thanks to the way the two main characters interact. Curry (Jacky Cheung) and Pepper (Stephen Chow) are CID partners and long-time friends. They work together, they live together, they seem to do everything together. When a lovely reporter (Ann Bridgewater) ends up tagging along with the boys for in order to do a TV special on police work, complications ensue and tensions rise between them as Curry and Ann grow closer, leaving Pepper out in the cold (sniff sniff...so sad! So angsty!) Though the reporter is supposed to be the center of the love triangle, we all really know what's going on--it's Curry that's the real center of attention.
The plot involves C&P botching a police investigation--a man their informant points them at as a weapons smuggler turns out to be an undercover officer. C&P go after the real bad guy in a final action sequence that's a little too violent and nasty to fit with the feel of the rest of the movie, but that's all right. It's all very secondary to watching Curry and Pepper acting all snuggly and hanging all over each other the rest of the time.
SUMMARY:
Overall rating: B. Not a classic but if you're watching to look for slash, you'll have a field day with this one.
Droolworthiness: A, because Stephen Chiao is simply to-die-for-cute, isn't he? Jacky Cheung isn't bad either and they make a very adorable couple.
Slashiness: A+ Curry in particular is always touching and hanging all over Pepper. Lots of cute moments and a great angsty h/c scene in a hospital.
Action: B- Not a film to watch for memorable action sequences. They're more played for laughs than anything else, though there are the occasional tense moments that leave the viewer worried for our heroes' fates.
