Once a Thief

Chung hang sei hoi

A heist goes wrong for three art thieves in John Woo’s playful action comedy.

  • Director

    John Woo

  • With

    Chow Yun-fat, Leslie Cheung, Cherie Chung

  • Hong Kong 1991. 108min

  • Digital (restoration)

  • Certificate

    15

  • Cantonese with English subtitles

Chow Yun-fat, Leslie Cheung and Cherie Chung play a trio of art thieves whose mission to steal a painting goes wrong when they are double-crossed. In a tonal shift from his run of dark crime dramas, Woo takes big action to Paris, blending it with broad comedy and a romantic love triangle. The result is a delightful caper with French New Wave aesthetics and a stunning moving-truck heist set-piece.