In movies, justice often prevails and the truth usually comes out in glorious fashion. Such is the case in the courtroom drama “A Guilty Conscience”, set in a black-and-white world where good and bad are in opposition, with only one side able to emerge the winner.
Fresh off last year’s charming comedy “Table for Six”, Hong Kong actor and stand-up comedian Dayo Wong delivers a memorable performance as disgraced barrister Adrian Lam.
The audience first meets Lam as a magistrate who doesn’t take his job seriously. Later persuaded by a legal friend to join his private law firm, Lam’s first case is to defend Jolene Tsang (Louise Wong), who has been accused of abusing her seven-year-old daughter.
Thanks to his flippant attitude, Lam botches the case by failing to record the testimony of Desmond Chung (Adam Pak), Tsang’s lover and the girl’s biological father. Tsang is consequently sentenced to 17 years behind bars.
Chastened and overwhelmed with guilt, Lam decides to do some good in Matt Murdock-esque fashion by taking on cases involving the underprivileged.
Lam’s chance to redeem himself comes two years later when the possibility of a retrial surfaces. Cue the remorseful lawyer and his legal team scrambling to learn the truth behind the girl’s death, the failure of which will result in Tsang serving a life sentence.
So, what works here? Dayo Wong brings his A-game for a character who is in turns arrogant, regretful and determined, sprinkled with the actor’s signature sharp wit.
In the courtroom scenes, Lam’s banter with no-nonsense prosecutor Kam Yuen Shan (Tse Kwan Ho) is a highlight, earning laughter and the occasional applause from the audience.
Co-writer Jack Ng, who makes his directorial debut, takes full advantage of Wong’s eloquence and comedic expertise. It’s a wise decision given that the dialogue-heavy courtroom scenes, complete with legal jargon, require a captivating presence – even if Lam’s closing statement feels preachy and overdone.
There are no huge plot twists here, just a straightforward good-versus-evil storyline. The wealthy Chung family treats the justice system as their playground, manoeuvring and manipulating their way out of any situation.
This makes their eventual comeuppance all the more satisfying.
Movie fans will remember Louise Wong from her critically acclaimed role as the late Anita Mui in 2021’s “Anita”. Here, she delivers an emotional and raw – if melodramatic at times – performance as a bereaved mother seeking justice for her daughter’s death.
As Desmond’s jealous wife Victoria Chung, Malaysia-born actress Fish Liew could have benefited from more screen time instead of merely playing the scorned spouse. She makes good use of her limited role, however, and her piercing, disdainful looks aimed at Tsang are enough to make you grit your teeth.
All in all, given the saturation of superhero movies these days, it is refreshing to indulge in a good ol’ courtroom drama with actual human stories being told.
While the heated arguments and surprise evidence are not the most realistic, director Ng certainly has a thrilling and entertaining film under his belt.
‘A Guilty Conscience’ is screening in cinemas nationwide.