Plain Jane To The Rescue (1982)

John Woo's filmography is all over the place, some absolutely incredible films and some absolute stinkers. I'm not a fan of his comedies as a rule - but I am a fan of Josephine Siao, and this is a great showcase of her comedic talents.

PLAIN JANE TO THE RESCUE is closer to great than its opposite, pulling off the fine art of being cleverly stupid that somehow makes comedy tick. There is some inspired idiocy and absurdity, with Josephine Siao and Ricky Hui's willingness to look ridiculous making them a very charming couple.

There are some terrific gags, and Woo doesn't overplay them, trusting them and us to get the joke without him rubbing it in our faces. There's some quite sharp political commentary, with the trials of the working class being the theme that runs through the film, as background to the characters' individual hardships and challenges.

Films like this make Woo's misses like To Hell With The Devil all the more baffling - he's clearly a smart fella, so what keeps him from delivering at this level every time?