Once A Thief / (Ws)

A close-knit trio of dashing art thieves (Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, and Cherie Chung) undertake one last lucrative job before their planned retirement, only to be torn apart when the heist goes awry as the result of a double-cross from their criminal mentor. Once reunited, the team resolves to get revenge. ONCE A THIEF showcases a more comical side of Woo, who packs his script with screwball double-entendres that translate shakily from Cantonese but retains his facility for deft action photography and his thematic interest in friends trying to remain loyal in a world full of betrayal. Also features Woo's trademark gratuitous tearjerking montages set to sappy Cantopop ballads.