Film Review: Sleazy Dizzy 小偷阿星 (1990) - Hong Kong
Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia)
I rated it 6.5/10
Rating: ★ ★ ★
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There is a peculiar charm to early pre-superstar Stephen Chow vehicles like Sleazy Dizzy, a film that feels caught between the stylish crime pictures of the ‘80s and the full-blown mo lei tau absurdity that would later make Chow a Hong Kong superstar. Directed by the veteran Chor Yuen, whose career spanned everything from elegant wuxia to grittier modern tales, this 1990 comedy-crime hybrid is uneven but oddly endearing — like a street vendor’s noodle bowl that somehow holds together despite the mismatched ingredients.
The plot is pure pulp: An undercover cop (Chen Kuan-Tai) gets his bell rung so thoroughly during a botched triad deal that he wakes up with amnesia and $50 million missing. Enter Sing (Chow), a small-time thief with more street smarts than scruples, and a plucky stock company employee (Sibelle Hu) who gets pulled into the chaos. What follows is a ramshackle chase after the lost cash, dodging gangsters, slapstick misunderstandings, and the occasional burst of action. The English title Sleazy Dizzy is delightfully on-the-nose; Chow’s character is a lovable rogue who drifts through life on charm and quick hands, while the amnesiac cop provides a straight-man foil that occasionally tilts into genuine pathos.
Chow, still honing the manic energy that would define his later work, is the clear highlight. His timing is sharp, his physical comedy elastic, and even in a film that doesn’t fully commit to nonsense humor, he lights up the screen. Hu brings lively martial-arts flair to her role — her karate-infused slapstick sequences are a highlight — while Chen Kuan-Tai, a legend from older Shaw Brothers action films, lends gravitas that the movie doesn’t always know what to do with. The supporting cast fills out the familiar Hong Kong ensemble (Alex Fong and Kenneth Tsang) with reliable faces, though the villainous schemes feel more obligatory than inspired.
Yuen’s direction has a workmanlike efficiency, with some surprisingly solid action choreography amid the low-budget grit. The film looks and feels like classic ‘90s Hong Kong cinema: handheld energy, practical stunts, and that unmistakable urban texture of crowded streets and neon nights. The comedy doesn’t always land evenly — some gags feel forced, the pacing sags in the middle — but when Chow and company hit their rhythm, it’s genuinely funny in a broad, crowd-pleasing way. The tonal mix of lighthearted thievery and darker triad undertones gives it a bit more edge than pure farce.
Sleazy Dizzy is no lost masterpiece, and it won’t convert newcomers to Chow’s peculiar genius. But for those who appreciate the wild, inventive spirit of Hong Kong’s golden era — before formula fully took over — it offers modest pleasures. It’s the kind of movie you stumble upon late at night and end up enjoying more than you expected. Not essential viewing, but far from a waste of time. (Neo, 2026)