By Edwin Yeo

HALFWAY TO THE TRUTH IS NOT BAD

IT's all too easy to hate The Truth About Jane and Sam.

What with Raintree Pictures' chief executive officer Daniel Yun going on Showbuzz to say that the film will be looking at the Golden Horse and other awards, it kind of leaves a poor taste in one's mouth.

And then there is this whole Fann Wong saga. It's all enough to make one sick of the film even before one steps into the cinema.

But if you do decide to give the movie a chance, it's not all that bad.

Writer/director Derek Yee, known for Viva Erotica, has brought out an unseen side of Fann.

Playing the street urchin Jane, she smokes, swears, cheats and drinks herself silly every night.

If you can get past her horrible styling, she is pretty convincing as the bad girl, something never seen before in her Channel 8 serials.

Sam is played by Hongkong singer Peter Ho, who shines in his debut role.

A journalist for a Hongkong tabloid, he is captivated by Jane and wants to write a feature on her life.

He offers to pay her so he can follow her around, but they end up being friends and then, lovers.

But it's a slow process. You know from the start that the innocent Sam will have a good effect on Jane. The movie's first half has her changing subtly, but believably.

But the film flops about midway. The first sign of it happening is when the normally nasty Jane suddenly finds a soft spot for some abandoned kittens. That's too sugary sweet for her character.

Then, after having sex with Sam for the first time, she does a complete turnaround and becomes the abiding housewife.

TOO SUDDEN

After sitting through nearly an hour of her slow conversion, surely we cannot be asked to accept such sudden changes in Jane.

Granted, Derek probably wanted to show she has a good side. That we see her damaged family driving her to her ways already makes us sympathise with her.

Yet, one feels that Derek has compromised a lot, as the film becomes formula after a while.

Still, it's well produced and the dialogue witty.

Not bad, for only the second production from Raintree.