Crazy Stone (DVD) (English Subtitled) (China Version) DVD Region 6

Set in Chongqing, this inventive low budget flick hinges on the unearthing of a valuable jade stone. This amazingly lucky find occurs inside a decrepit-looking factory which is scheduled to be sold off to a greedy Hong Kong developer, another fact that propels the Crazy Stone's remarkably fast-paced narrative. Realizing that the rare jade might be a way to get himself out of a dire financial predicament, the factory director (Chen Zhonghua) arranges a public exhibition showcasing the rare piece of jade. To protect it from theft, the old man enlists Bao Shihong (Guo Tao), a former cop-turned-factory worker, to handle security detail.

Pitted against Bao are two rival factions, both of whom are independently looking to snatch the stone out from under the new chief of security. On one side, we have three not-so-intelligent thieves: Dao (Liu Hua), Xiaojun (Yue Xiaojun), and Hei Pei (Huang Bo). On the other, there's a slick professional burglar (Teddy Lin Chun) from Hong Kong. Complicating this already convoluted cast of characters and motives is would-be photographer Charles (Peng Bo), who's actually the factory director's son. He's a complete lout who'll do just anything to get a woman into bed. While each side has their own intricate plan to swipe the jade, serious complications arise when Charles swaps the jade for a duplicate in order to impress an arcade hottie (Hou Shou). And as if the old switcheroo weren't problematic enough, it turns out she's Dao's girl! Misunderstandings, chance encounters, and all sorts of crazy situations ensue, all building one on top of the other, as we speed onward to the film's exciting, hilarious finale.

Crazy Stone differs from most caper films in a number of different ways. For one, the sleek, cool-as-a-cucumber thieves from films like Ocean's 11 or the Italian Job are totally absent here. In their place, we have a trio of petty thieves who are out-and-out bunglers. Placing these incompetent burglars within the familiar genre of the heist movie creates all sorts of amusing new complications. Secondly, unlike other caper films, Crazy Stone doesn't focus its attention on one particular party, but divides your loyalties among several groups. Eventually, I found myself gravitating toward Bao, not just because he's the film's requisite "good guy," but due to Guo Tao's winning performance. As the film wears on, it's clear that Bao has the most to lose: his job, his health, and - quite often - his temper, with hilarious results.

The third difference is a matter of casting. Simply put, Crazy Stone lacks the presence of any identifiable stars, and although that initially feels like a deficit - the film introduces numerous characters at such a breakneck pace that the viewer can't help but be overwhelmed and disoriented - the no-name cast eventually becomes a hidden asset. Without superstar actors, there's no mental baggage to attribute to the characters, and thus you can buy into the world of the film more readily. Without the built-in expectations of what a recognizable actor brings to the role, you're not quite sure what'll happen next. The Mainland actors have a rugged, wholly unglamorous charm that prevents the comedy from feeling too broad or exaggerated to be believable.

There are all sorts of twists and turns and splendid complications that occur throughout Crazy Stone, and Ning Hao's assured directorial style lets you know you're in good hands, despite the initial disorientation. Nearly every action in Crazy Stone creates a comic, wholly unexpected domino effect, and Ning Hao's narrative choices only work to affirm this. For instance, the film will often show an occurrence only to revisit the scene from various points of view. This stylistic quirk never feels repetitive or tired, in large part due to the way Ning Hao stages each scene. The way in which these kinds of moments occur is so surprising, that you're never quite sure at first if you've jumped forward in the narrative or made another lateral move. It's a remarkable filmmaking technique that would probably be annoying if it weren't so well executed.

Crazy Stone is a breezy, energizing film, a low budget crime comedy that makes ample use of its meager resources to turn out something that's better than most mainstream Chinese language films - well, at least those not directed by Johnnie To. Although one's knowledge of the Chongqing dialect might enhance the overall experience, it isn't necessary. Crazy Stone has a distinctive local feel, but its sense of humor is sure to translate to a global audience. If Andy Lau's Focus First Cuts is supposed to be a director's showcase, then it's safe to say that Ning Hao is a prime example of the program's success.

By Calvin McMillin

The film begins with the discovery of a priceless jade stone at a dilapidated factory which is on the verge of being demolished by a greedy property developer. Seeing the stone as a means of making enough money to keep the wolves at bay, the factory owner decides to put it on show in a rundown temple while he tries to find a buyer, appointing factory worker and ex-detective Bao (actor Guo Tao, recently in Hong Kong breast cancer comedy 2 Become 1) as chief of security. The poor man, already suffering from prostrate troubles soon has his hands full as an incompetent trio of thieves, a professional burglar hired by the unscrupulous developer, and the factory owner's slimy son try all manners of tricky schemes to get their grubby paws on the stone.

Although Crazy Stone has been branded by some as the Chinese equivalent of Ocean's Eleven, Ning Hao's film is arguably more cleverly constructed and benefits from having a far more vivid and believable set of characters who are well written and don't simply rely upon audience familiarity with the actors. The film's plot is wonderfully intricate, with Ning showing a great skill as a storyteller, taking a simple scenario and packing it with delightful twists, gradually allowing the tension to build as incompetence piles upon incompetence, leaving the gripped viewer with little clue as to where and with whom the stone will end up. Almost every event in the film has a knock on effect, with the various groups of characters unwittingly being joined together in a complex dance. Ning plays upon this to great comical effect, giving the film a wry sense of irony. Through a supreme act of narrative juggling, he manages to avoid any sense of contrivance.

The film is very funny, both in terms of clever dialogue and situations, as well as in its use of broad physical humour. However, Ning never lets things go overboard, and though there is plenty of slapstick, the film never ventures into Stephen Chow-style surrealism, or strays from its believable and engaging scenario. There are a great many laugh-out-loud moments, especially towards the end as the characters very slowly come to see the bigger picture, leading to some amusingly fitting, though unforced resolutions.

Ning's direction is excellent throughout, and he employs a variety of technical tricks, including split screen work and some crazily inventive editing, all of which thankfully complement the narrative, not simply included for the sake of showing off. He manages to keep things moving at frenzied pace for most of the running time, with plenty of action and fiendishly designed set pieces to raise the viewer's pulse. Although there are a few brief bursts of violence, the tone is generally kept playful, which is a wise move on the director's part, allowing him to give the film its own identity as opposed to simply going down the usual gritty, hardboiled robbery gone wrong route.

Crazy Stone is simply a great film, highly entertaining, enjoyable and breathing new life into the comic heist caper which has long grown stale in the West. It stands not only as one of the best Chinese films of the last few years, but one of the best examples of low budget filmmaking from anywhere in the world for some time. Indeed, Ning has worked wonders with his limited resources, and the results are worth a hundred of recent bloated Chinese shlockbusters like The Promise or The Banquet. Certainly, it is great to see a director with the confidence to make a film with a real local feel to it, rather than churning out yet another would be wuxia epic.

by James Mudge - BeyondHollywood.com