Nov 4, 2025
Ballad of a Small Player
directed by Edward Berger, 2025
seen from United States
seen from Norway
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Australia
seen from India
seen from South Korea
seen from Romania
seen from Tunisia
seen from Morocco
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from France
seen from Malaysia
seen from Sweden
seen from Malaysia
seen from United Arab Emirates
seen from Argentina
seen from Netherlands
seen from Japan
Ballad of a Small Player
directed by Edward Berger, 2025
BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER 2025
I’m standing at a statistical crossroads. It’s possible I keep on losing, but probability says I have to start winning.
Have you seen A Simple Life (2011)?
Yes
No
Haven’t even heard of this movie
Lord, please protect Ah Dao, spare her unnecessary pain. I beg your indulgence to grant her small wish. She wants to see the newest member of our family. My nephew will soon bring his newborn son to Hong Kong. If Ah Dao isn’t needed in heaven yet, please let her stay with us for a while longer.
A SIMPLE LIFE - 桃姐(2011) Directed by Ann Hui
One of the best hits in the 80s in Hong Kong Canto Pop scene. The song have everything, the best female singer in Hong Kong, a nice written song and superb arrangement, and how can you resist?
While for Deanie Ip, I would say she’s Meryl Streep, Nancy Wilson and Dusty Springfield combined.
A Simple Life / 桃姐 dir. Ann Hui
A tale of the tender connection between a Hong Kong businessman/filmmaker and the domestic servant who has been the bedrock of his family for four generations. This beautiful film was based on the writer/producer, Roger Lee’s, own experience with his family’s cook/maid/nanny-cum-ostensible mother, Ah Tao. I will take this film over Cuaron’s Roma any day, for while it may not have the cinematographic glamour and the historical gravitas of Cuaron’s film, it has a quiet observational power. It is more radiantly personal, and ultimately has more heart. The dynamic between Ah Tao (Deanie Ip) and Roger (Andy Lau in excellent form) is full of a beautiful deep love and humour that transcends the personal idiosyncrasies of the two, as well as social/cultural/class prejudices. The film follows the relationship between Ah Tao and Roger as elderly woman and adult man respectively, and it is through the prism of their current relationship that we are able to sense the rich fullness of their history. There will be laughs and smiles and perhaps a tear. And there will be good film!!
Deanie Ip as Dao Jie in A Simple Life (Ann Hui, 2011)
Another track off from the first record that they made in Hong Kong, featuring Taiwan singer songwriters collaborate w Hong Kong singer-songwriters, the result is impressive .
This song is another classic hit (This album created three everlasting hits even people nowadays could remember)
The legendary story about this song is that, its only a demo track, the singer and the musicians are still rehearsing and the producer took this demo take to release it. Hence making Deanie to sing this song again everything she has a chance to record.
