My experience with the movie 'Love in a Buff' was not a pleasant one. Mind you, don't be fooled by the English title, it is not a romantic story at all. It is about a woman's painfully unrelenting yet hardly appreciated love for a man who is not mature enough to know his heart's desire. As twisted as it can be, the story also includes a detailed description of how the couple, while on a break, cheat on their respective partners, in the name of 'love.'

A sequel to director Ho-Cheung Peng's Level III movie in Hong Kong, the new picture is now set in Beijing. Obviously there have been attempts to integrate certain elements of Beijing culture into this piece, but at the end of the day the film is predominated by Hong Kong characteristics, because the characters venture no further than the modern and metropolitan part of China’s cultural center.

The only thing worth appreciating is the acting of Shawn Yue and Miriam Yeung, who also led in the prequel. Miriam Yeung as the self-abusive woman is fully capable of inducing sympathy from the viewers, while the heartless man portrayed by Shawn Yue would certainly set many innocent young ladies on teeth-grinding rage.

Unfortunately, their excellent acting might be obliterated by the lengthy and but badly written story. Maybe it is a certain some Hong Kong style that I don't get, but it seems that the movie often strays into lighthearted jokes instead of staying focused on the relationship part. As a result, you may find the movie funny every now and then, but you will always might find it difficult to fully digest the story.

To enhance the funny side, the movie also presents many a pretty and ugly faces, whose presence contribute almost nothing to the story but rib-ticklers. Xu Zheng, whose performance we can never have too much of, plays a supporting role that is a break from his normal screen image. And the major supporting female, well, let’s say she is bit controversial with just a weird voice and bold cleavage exhibition.

Anyway, if you are in the mood for a night of lighthearted jokes, watch 'Love in a Buff.' But beware, don't get too seriously involved, because you wouldn't want to walk home wondering about the intricacy and madness of love. It is not always true.

On my scale from one to ten, 'Love in a Buff' gets a four.