The release of the new film Bruce Lee, My Brother has caused quite a bit of commotion at the recent American Film Market, with buyers from over 10 territories reportedly scooping up the flick. The frenzy confirms the film star’s popularity hasn’t subsided since his sudden death in 1973. The biopic is directed by Manfred Wong and Raymond Yip and is based on the book by Lee’s brother Robert, who also narrates.
Hong Kong’s rising star Aarif Rahman is said to capture Lee‘s persona remarkably well combining his confident and charismatic appeal that made him such a screen presence. The rest of the cast also does a fine job with strong performances by Tony Leung Ka Fai as Lee’s father Hoi Chuen who was as an opera star and on tour in San Francisco in 1940 when his wife Grace (Christy Chung) gave birth to Lee. We see how Bruce acquires his English name and makes his first appearance in the film Golden Gate Girl as a newborn. Not heeding the advice of friends, the Lee family return to their ancestral mansion in Hong Kong which was soon overrun by the Japanese occupation. The film captures the period with great detail re-creating the traditional Chinese household where a young Bruce Lee lived with 30 other family members.
The film looks at his experiences as a child star which likely began his film aspirations, though its said to overlook the notorious abuse that existed within the industry. He’s later shown as a rebellious teenager pulling pranks and getting into street-fights. He enjoys spending time in Chinese tea-houses with his two buddies Kong and Unicorn, who was also a child actor and would later appear in Lee’s films Fist of Fury and Way of The Dragon.
His attitude towards authority gets him into trouble with the police and foreigners of what was then a British colony. His romantic encounters are not as successful as his fighting skills with his interest in one girl shared by his friend Kong and another who has a crush on Lee and wants him to be her partner in a Latin dance contest. He instead enters with his brother Robert and their fancy footwork ends up snatching the prize.
He studies the Wing Chun martial arts when he becomes a disciple of master Yip Man (shown mostly in silhouette) though Lee‘s philosophical understanding and interpretation doesn’t take center stage. The story is said to kick into action in the final reel when Lee enters a boxing match and knocks out a Caucasian fighter with his impressive skills.
However he soon learns that Kong has fallen into drug addiction and he and his friend Unicorn soon clash with gangsters and fights take place across scaffolding and roof tops. This makes him something of a target and as fate would have it, his father decides to send him off to his older in sister in San Francisco so that he may pursue his studies.
The film is said to move along at a slow pace and though well designed, it may not have the necessary punch to keep viewers on their seats edge. For fans however it should still provide an interesting look at his origins minus the focus on his fighting skills which very few can duplicate. As its based on the memoirs of Bruce ‘s younger brother, we can expect a more personal perspective of the beginnings of a true legend, of which little has been depicted up until now.
Bruce Lee, My Brother is yet to find a release date internationally (it opened on November 25th in Hong Kong and Singapore) for now we’ll have to be content with the Trailer:
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