With Truth or Dare: 6 th Floor Rear Flat director Barbara Wong made a promising debut in mainstream feature filmmaking, capturing a slice of life set among Hong Kong’s youth. The apartment of the title is a flatshare occupied by six tenants: aspiring but muddled writer Karena (Karena Lam), tarot reader Candy (Candy Lo), long-time jilted magician Bo (Sammy Leung), budding entrepreneur Jean (Patrick Tang), hopeful musician Wing (Lawrence Chou) and mystery man about the house Leo (Roy Chow). Playing Truth or Dare is a priority in the flat but one night the game takes a more serious and personal turn. When a visitor cries foul of having to kiss the elderly landlady, the main tenants must write down their private ambitions for the year ahead and seal them away for a long-term dare. If they can’t follow through and meet their goals, they’ll literally have to eat shit when the flat’s lease expires. With 12 months available to achieve something, can any of them pull through?
The first film to truly capture a large and appreciative audience in post-SARS Hong Kong, Truth or Dare: 6 th Floor Rear Flat set itself apart from other local youth flicks by talking on the same level with its audience. Elder figures are on hand in the script but any semblance of lecturing is brief and limited, leaving ample space for the lead cast to largely play themselves on screen. Party scenes look natural and rowdy, and the brief personal stories of both success and missteps in love are clear and compelling.
The filmmakers broke away from casting big names in the movie, relying on a mix of middle-tier singers, up-and-coming actors and radio personalities to enliven the show, turning the film into a showcase of new talent. The young cast is supported by several interesting elder figures, highlighted by a spirited performance by Hau Woon-ling as landlady Susie Wong.
Tim Youngs