Portland Street Blues (1998)

The always reliable Sandra Ng plays Sister Thirteen, a lesbian triad leader. The film is mostly told in flashback, to show how she became the leader of Portland Street. The flashbacks are few and lengthy, but very intriguing. You see how she interacted with her father, her relationship with Yun, played by the beautiful Kristy Yeung, and how she deals with this life. Shu Qi, in a smallish but compelling role plays Scarface, who is a battered woman. She meets up with Thirteen and you'll see what happens. Sandra Ng is great in this role. The lesbian angle is not played up in that there is nothing gratuitous, and she actually falls in love with a boxer named Coke. Sandra's portrayal is gritty, sober and compelling to watch, you're always wondering what she's thinking. There is violence, but a typical episode of the Sopranos has more. I highly recommend this, it kept my interest throughout. You get Sandra Ng and Shu Qi both at their best. There is no more of a ringing endorsement than that.

IMDB Reviewer