Paul Magne Haakonsen "Lost in Time" ("Mong bat liu") is a somewhat different movie compared to many other movies to make it out of Hong Kong, as it is not your average movie with sugar-coated romance or jaw-dropping action. Instead, you have a very heartfelt and passionate story that is told quite well. But even more so, it is really well acted and portrayed by the people hired for the various roles.The story in "Lost in Time" is about Siu Wai (played by Cecilia Cheung) whose life is abruptly turned upside down as a tragic accident befalls her fiancée Ah Man (played by Louis Koo). Taking on the responsibilities of her fiancée's job, Siu Wai finds herself working hard to manage the work of a mini-bus driver on the busy streets of Hong Kong. But managing work, the responsibility of raising her step-son and her budding romance with colleague Uncle Seven (played by Wai-Man Chan) is quite a challenge.Now, what works so well in "Lost in Time" is the storyline and the plot, because it is the type of story that you get drawn into, especially because it is a personal story and you immediately build up relationships to the characters in the movie. And hats off to Cecilia Cheung, as usual, but also Wai-Man Chan for their portrayal of the characters in the movie. They really carried the movie well, and it just wouldn't have been the same without them.Having lived and worked in Hong Kong for four years, and not being a stranger to riding these mini-buses, this movie took on a deeper interest and appeal for me. But still, even for someone not familiar with this, "Lost in Time" will prove to be a good movie that will sink into your heart and stay with you.For fans of Asian cinema and those of Hong Kong cinema, "Lost in Time" is a movie well worth watching. Especially if you need a change of pace from the usual action-packed movies and sappy romantic comedies that usually are seen coming from the Hong Kong cinema scene.

ebossert My online rental queue is filled with hundreds of East Asian films, some of which I add without knowing all that much about them. When Lost In Time came in the mail, I was expecting a generic romance film. I am now very happy to confess that I was very, very wrong.The storyline itself is not particularly novel or original, but the character development here is outstanding. The filmmakers successfully used actions over words to build the foundations of the main characters. Cecilia Cheung is thrown into a very difficult situation early on. The introduction of her struggles, one after the other, adds significantly to her likability, and the viewer develops a deep concern for her wellbeing. No explicit conversations of her difficulties are even necessary because I experienced them with her. Ching Wan Lau comes off as an authentic gentleman who's good deeds are motivated by a rather complex history. The young boy did admirably and was extremely likable.There is one scene in particular, that takes place during the second half of the film, which I consider to be one of the greatest in the history of cinema. I rarely cry while watching films. Joint Security Area forced a few tears down my cheek, but "The Scene" in Lost In Time made me cry so profusely that I had to stop the film and take a break to regain my composure. It's that damn good! To be honest, Lost In Time hit me like a ton of bricks in a very positive and happy way. It has earned it's place as one of my favorite Romance films, and comes with my highest of recommendations.

dennisyoon Did you like her in Failan(Gut wrenching!)? How about Running on Karma(So sweet!)? Don't forget King of Comedy(Whoa!). Well, she is so real and struggling in this one that you just gotta give it to her. She's still beautiful even when portraying desperation. The bonding between her, Lau Ching-Wan and the little boy captures the essence of a family coming together after falling apart from previous ties. Painful to watch at times but well worth it in the end. Is that her singing during the credits?Lau-Ching Wan comes across so noble in this one as he just can't resist the urge to be the hero coming to the rescue and really melting away the past. You're rooting for him so strong to get the girl and he just makes such the wonderful dad/problem solver. Excellent performances by the leads.

Brad Crain Fans of Lau Ching-Wan and Cecilia Cheung will probably be quite happy with this film. Although the theme about coming to terms with your life after the sudden loss of a loved one is tough, the film balances out the high drama with some humor. The scene where Ching-Wan shows Cecilia how to maximize her earnings on the minibus route was a high-point. Overall, this is my favorite Lau Ching-Wan film of the last couple of years. After all the goofy comedy he's done recently, it was nice to see him in a more serious, natural role. Cecilia is good as well. Louis Koo's small role as the dead guy may disappoint those wanting to watch the film for him. Although he's quite good, he's just not in the film very long. This is a good compliment to C'EST LA VIE MON CHERI, the 1993 film that Lau and director Derek Yee worked on. As a word of advice, it's probably not best to view both films on the same night, as the emotions could be somewhat overwhelming.