Alternate Best Actor 1997: Sam Lee in Made in Hong Kong

Sam Lee did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying To Chung-Chau, 'Moon' in Made in Hong Kong. 

Made in Hong Kong is a good if imperfect film, particularly in terms of some of the direction and technical elements, that details a low key coming of age tale of a criminal Hong Kong youth. 

Sam Lee is our narrator and our hero into the world of the youth of Hong Kong as depicted in this film. His recounting of the tale itself is this blunt speaking of his life which is the best way I can describe this performance. Lee was discovered for this film and was not a star before this film. In turn Lee innately isn't some extremely notable youth, he's a youth in this world. His delivery of his story is nearly that of rambling just recounting of who this young man is and what he is going through. Lee brings no pretense to the narration nor to his performance. His work is just kind of what it should be as a man being himself in a way seemingly, though I think it is notable because of all that this young man is dealing with. All that he is dealing with though is just part of his life and that is where we see the strengths of this performance from Lee. Lee isn't trying to make the young man who should be above and beyond his standings. Rather Lee portrays someone who is living within these standings and in a way that is essential per the tone of the film that just kind of shows this life as is, this with random lows, random highs, peace at times but also a whole lot of violence. 

We open the film as the wayward youth trying to make his way in the criminal underworld seemingly while also just making his way in being a youth in a way, the two mix together rather frequently which this dynamic is one of the strengths of the film. The strength of this realized within Lee's performance. This as in moments Lee does bring a natural charm about him. He's got swagger though not to some extreme, honestly he does not need it as in a way Lee's presence is more teenager than gangster and that is key to his character of Moon. He is most naturalistic in the moments of just hanging around the basketball court and randomly trying to recruit people like the rather slow witted Sylvester who becomes his friend/lackey. What Lee does portray well though is the attempt to be more than he is. This in the attempt a swagger or intensity. The early scene of beating down a "bully" Lee throws himself into it, but he also throws himself into it as a bit of an act. He hits the man down and the act of it is a bit of an act. Lee portrays with very broad gestures however it works in the man portraying the part of the gangster trying to be the gangster. This is in contrast to the different kind of awkwardness we see when he's trying and failing to make love to a young woman, the rather ill Ping. Lee suddenly embodies teenage style anxieties with as he he doesn't quite look where he should and his moments of confidence are naturally segued to nervousness. He's a proper mess of everything in the moment, and not quite anything at once.

Lee's performance is interesting as this kind of guide throughout this world with this certain manner of his as a young man trying to negotiate every situation. His portrayal of Moon in turn is kind of dancing around this world that wanders between moments of levity, intensity or something more. In each though Lee is as natural in creating the moments of Moon being natural or unnatural in a way. There are moments where he is just with his friends hanging out and there is a genuine sense of fun between them. Lee brings just the joy of the young man in these moments. He's as good at the moments of the gangster which have a great variety to them in his performance. There is the early scene of him trying to "strong arm" some money out of a woman where his delivery is perfectly weak, in the right way, as the man who clearly is far less than he says. He's good though in other moments where the situation seems to dictate a bit more personal power and he alludes to possibly the gangster within even as he acts up with this bravado and confidence. A confidence that is phony in a way in Lee's work but also almost quite there. Lee shows some one who could be a gangster at some point, but also might seem completely overwhelmed by the idea. 

There's a great scene where he goes to see the actual Triad boss and Lee again is able to present this natural mix between the sort of passive intensity of a would be killer with the completely hapless manner of a never be killer. He's not quite either, and he's terrific at not being either. He kind of has the swagger but he kind of doesn't have it all. There's a great scene of pure physical acting later on in the film where we see Moon taking on the full job the gangster with a potential hit. When preparing for the hit Lee portrays the utmost forceful manner, and style really of what he would believe is what a gangster should be. He has all the manner of the killer as he runs out to do the deed. The moment of it actually coming though his reaction is truly moving in showing the immediate panic in Moon as the reality seems to set in. His presentation of the fear reveals again the more sincere young man behind it all. His moment is so powerful as Lee's breaths of both this relief but also fearful realization of not being cut out for this life in a way. As good as Lee is in most of the film in the more surface revelations of Moon, what makes this so impressive, particularly as a debut, are the moments of quiet contemplation and introspection. The moment for example after he witnesses a random violent attack, Lee is incredible in just a silent reaction internalizing all the pain that Moon really feels in living in such a violent world and in his eyes seems a little boy trapped in an abusive place. Throughout the film Lee reveals in a greater depth the maturation in Lee as his emotions become more real and to the point. His delivery even becoming so much less petulant and just honest as someone perhaps finding their adulthood in a rather terrible way. His walk now seemingly with an actual confidence and an honesty to himself. When he goes back to confront the Triad, Lee now is an actual force. He has a power to himself, he's not the weakling just pushing for it all, he really is it though in the way Moon would've expected. Lee gives a very striking debut here. It is a surprisingly articulate and dynamic portrait of a young man coming into his own, going from the phony wannabe, to something real though in a way that might be too painful to survive.