In Broad Daylight shines a light on investigative journalists along with the dark sides of society they seek to bring to light (Film review)

In Broad Daylight's lead actress Jennifer Yu talks to the audience

at its world premiere while co-star David Chiang looks on

 

Some other members of the film's cast were present too

(along with its director and producer -- not pictured!)
 

In Broad Daylight (Hong Kong, 2023)

- Lawrence Kan, director and scriptwriter

- Starring: Jennifer Yu, David Chiang, Bowie Lam, Woo Fung, Rachel Leung, Peter Chan Charm-man, Hennick Chou 

 

Thanks to political censorship of Hong Kong films now being a thing and it being likely that political pressure can lead to the cancellation of film screenings, I found myself wondering when reading its Hong Kong Asian Film Festival program synopsis if In Broad Daylight would actually see the light of the day (figuratively speaking).  

 

This was not least because its main character is an investigative reporter named Kay (portrayed by Jennifer Yu) -- like, say, Gwyneth Ho (currently in prison) or Bao Choy (who was found guilty of improper searches of an online car licence plate database while conducting an investigation aimed at identifying some of the perpetrators of the 2019 Yuen Long attacks that Gwyneth Ho had live streamed before the court decision was overturned by the Court of Final Appeal).

 

Granted that In Broad Daylight is not overtly political: with its story of Kay deciding to investigate a care home for the elderly and disabled (run by Bowie Lam's character) whose staff are suspected of abusing its residents (who include individuals essayed by Woo Fung, Rachel Leung, Peter Chan Charm-man and Hennick Chou) being one that Hong Kongers from both sides of the political spectrum would be united in being concerned about.  (Also, the makers of this film have set it before 2019; when socio-political divides really became wide and cemented in Hong Kong.) 

 

Nonetheless, when reading the following line about it, I did worry that -- in these hyper sensitive times -- In Broad Daylight would be pulled from the film festival despite being announced as one of its opening films (like had happened to When the Wind Blows ahead of the 2021 Hong Kong International Film Festival): "A stunning and provocative drama exposing what happens when the systems we trust fail us, this is an especially important film in an era when journalists are smeared as troublemakers."       

 

Happily, however, my fears proved to be groundless -- and In Broad Daylight is now also enjoying a very successful run in local cinemas.  Deservedly so, to my mind, as Lawrence Kan's sophomore directorial feature is a well crafted, sensitive and humane film: which benefits enormously from not only having a compelling, topical tale to tell but, also, a multi-generational cast that includes Hong Kong cinema legends like David Chiang (who kung fu movie enthusiasts will forever associate with his Shaw Brothers output) along with some of the best talents of the current, new generation, including Jennifer Yu.

 

A number of Hong Kong movie fans will feel shocked when they first behold Chiang in In Broad Daylight because he plays one of the care home's elderly residents; and this all the more so since he appears to have less of his faculties intact than his roommate (played by Woo Fung).  Both of the men blossom though after Kay enters into their lives -- and it is one of the pleasures of this often emotionally devastating movie to see the care that David Chiang and Jennifer Yu's characters have for each other, and the chemistry between the two thespians that makes their relationship feel natural and real.

 

As for the other cast members: It is a credit to those tasked with playing less likeable characters that they are so successful in inhabiting them!  Baby Bo Pui-yu, in particular, was revelatory in how scary she was able to make her care home staffer character!  And Rachel Leung and Hennick Chou made me shed genuine tears as I ended up caring very much for the care home residents they played in this movie which is not the easiest of watches but I nonetheless would recommend that people check out; this not least because I think works like this are very deserving of people's support and, also, that In Broad Daylight really is a tribute to the kind of investigative journalists that have made Hong Kong proud over the years, and still do.

 

My rating for this film: 8.5