Too Many Ways to Be No. 1

1997 1h 30m CN

👍

6.7

SOLID

★6.7TMDB · 30

ActionCrimeComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A small-time triad must make a fateful decision to discover who he is. With that decision, his life can diverge in two paths, each leading to an ultimate fate.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Lau Ching-Wan
A Gau
Carman Lee Yeuk-Tung
Francis Ng Chun-Yu
Matt
Ruby Wong Cheuk-Ling
Cheung Tat-Ming
A Bo
Elvis Tsui Kam-Kong
Joe Cheng Cho
Matt Chow Hoi-Kwong

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Wai Ka-Fai
Writers: Wai Ka-Fai, Szeto Kam-Yuen, Matt Chow Hoi-Kwong
Languages: Mandarin, Cantonese
Countries: Hong Kong

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

90 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

29 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Mandarin, Cantonese.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Directed by Wai Ka-Fai, shot by Horace Wong Wing-Hang. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Original score by Cacine Wong Ka-Sin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Editor Wong Wing-Ming shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Lau Ching-Wan and Carman Lee Yeuk-Tung and Francis Ng Chun-Yu carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0120541 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Wai Ka-Fai directs. Horace Wong Wing-Hang behind the camera. Cacine Wong Ka-Sin scores. Wong Wing-Ming cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Hong Kong. Dialogue in Mandarin, Cantonese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

190 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
229 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Mandarin, Cantonese.
4Directed by Wai Ka-Fai, shot by Horace Wong Wing-Hang. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Cacine Wong Ka-Sin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Wong Wing-Ming shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Lau Ching-Wan and Carman Lee Yeuk-Tung and Francis Ng Chun-Yu carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0120541 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 30 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.