Dicey Business Review

Title: Dicey Business aka 賭場風雲 (2006)
Producer: 張乾文
Episodes: 35
Cast- Leading Cast: Bobby Au Yeung, Jessica Hsuan, Michael Miu
Supporting Cast: Bosco Wong, Tavia Yeung
Theme: Modern series that touches on Gambling, Friendship, Addiction, Revenge
Setting: Philippines, Hong Kong
Themesong: sang by Hacken Lee
Sub-themesong: sang by Bosco Wong
Awards won from this serie: To be determined

The Basic Story (Cliffnotes Version)

The Past/History- At the tender age of 18, young Bobby was a talented gambler and was able to compete in a prestigious world gambling competition. However, because he was immature, he fell for young Michael’s girlfriend, who was quite pretty. In an incident before the actual competition, he lost his 3 year old younger brother while flirting with the same girl and punched by young Michael. After that, he just lost all ambition to gamble again and became a wreck as he starts losing at gambling. Luckily, he met Benz, and this kind, though kind of sissy guy, helped him reestablish himself as a person. Because of ah Wing’s connection, Michael also helps Bobby pay his debts, find him a job, and thus became Bobby’s savior. Michael, Benz, and Bobby became really good friends after.

The Present- With the intent of going back to HK to find his brother, Bobby sees Jessica, who is a heavy gambler with a lot of debts. There was a funny give or take negotiation between the two, and being practical, in return for Bobby’s money, Jessica rents out a place for him to live. Coincidentally, this is also the place where Bosco, a young recluse also lives. And it turns out dun, dun, duh….that Bosco is Bobby’s long lost brother! Bobby finds out from a deck of cards with a picture of young Bosco that young Bobby made for him. Bobby decides to help Bosco enter into society as a normal person before telling him the truth. Bosco finds that he has some special affinity with cards and opts to become a successful card player/gambler.

Put that aside for a bit, and here’s Michael’s story. He’s a world-reknown gambler, and he is ranked among the top cardplayers in the world. There is some special obsession with gambling trophies, and it seems like he desires to collect every one he could. The guy’s hobby includes gambling for trophies that other gamblers won before (can you call that obsessive?).

Well trouble began to stir between Michael and Bobby’s friendship. The first rift between Michael and Bobby came up when Bobby learns a huge secret from the past! The secret is that the ex-girlfriend was told by Michael to flirt with young Bobby and attract his attention before the competition. However, this led to Bobby losing his brother, and so he was damn well pissed. Second rift occurs when Bobby became a security guard and thus was in the way of Michael’s “work”. What is his work, you say? Well, a guy from Michael’s past shows up with some hard-pressed threats so Micheal was forced to help the bad guy out by robbing the casino he works at/the CEO of…. ala Ocean’s Eleven style, well it’s what the bad guy refer to the operation was anyway. Bobby finds out and demands that Michael surrender himself to the police. Michael begs for a second chance, but Bobby was adamant. This leads to the ultimate and final rift, Michael puts the robbery blame on Bobby and even attempts to kill Bobby. Bobby was lucky enough to survive and went into hiding. During that time, Michael also takes Bosco as a disciple, and Bosco worships the ground Michael walks on. With Jessica and Florence’s help, Bobby eventually gathers himself together to become a successful gambler once again. Eventually, the robbery was found out to be related to Michael and not Bobby, and Michael was fired from that casino and he lost a lot of pride/face. He then started an illegal gambling arena for prestigious and wealthy people with Bosco’s help. Looking to scheme more money, Micheal attempts to con the casino he was fired from, by selling a piece of worthless, barren land to them (but of course they didn’t know that at the time). Benz found out and confronts Micheal, but he was ran over by orders of the other bad guy Michael was partners with. In order for his plan to succeed (for the contract to be signed to sell that land), Michael was selfish enough to risk ah Wing’s life and didn’t take him to the hospital. Bosco was ordered to stall Bobby from appearing at the contract signing. So what happened?

The Ending- Well Jessica steals Micheal’s files and gathered evidence to put him in jail. Michael held Jessica hostage later to force Bobby to play one last round. Turns out Michael loses to Bobby, and later on, you see the police coming to arrest Michael, him saying/releasing the place where he buried ah Wing, and then him giving a heartfelt comment that his most happiest times were having hot-pot with his good friends. Jessica took a long vacation after that. Then a year or two later, you see Bobby visiting Michael in jail. Micheal puts up a nice demeanor but you could see that he was unhappy when he was alone. Then it zooms to Bosco and Bobby at the beach. Bosco and Tavia reunited, and Tavia was pregnant with their 2nd child. The last few scenes show Bobby holding Bosco and Tavia’s kid and reminiscing as Jessica comes to them. The very, very last scenes captured a pair of legs (assuming to be Jessica’s) and then, the credit rolls. Is it really Jessica this time or is it just Bobby’s imagination? Or heck, is it there to play with the audience’s imagination?


Character and Actor Discussions:

Bobby Au Yeung as “Chai Foon Cheung”/ “Baby”
I was actually quite surprised that I enjoy Bobby's character and performance in here b/c Bobby's TVB characters post-2000, although are different, but not really favorable in my opinion. This role was different from the other roles Bobby acted in, for this is a happy, though not necessarily silly or witty (I felt some of his laughs were sort of forced out), genuinely good man with a lot of grace and is not "siu hei" (like Chan Siu Sung in Armed Reactions I-IV)....a total gentleman. There are quite a lot of moments where he is totally in the gutter, and Bobby's expressions are amazing.

His comedic timing is also apparent in here....what with the tissue paper getting stuck under his feet when he ran to get the door or when he was running with Bosco after they stole mangoes. Bosco and Bobby, perhaps this should be a pairing of itself LOL. Good chemistry between them but too bad it was too brief.

Although I like his character generally, I find that I started liking him more when he first found out about Michael's robbery of the casino. That's when his character and performance got more intense. It's too bad this series was not as well received in HK, it was definitely Bobby's best performance and character in a long while.


Jessica Hsuan as “Ching Wan”
I’m not quite a big fan of Jessica’s in this serie. I think she did an decent job, but the character isn’t exactly a character to root for, and she just doesn’t look like a gambler to me…perhaps because she has always acted as mature and professional in other series. I think it’s great she’s trying to do other type of roles because she’s always been typecasted in lots of TVB series or so, but this role wasn’t an effective try for her. And to be a gambler, there’s gotta be this certain intense look with her eyes, and I don’t really see it when she’s gambling.

Back to her character, I think it’s very selfish of her whenever she gambles because her family ends up having to pay for her troubles. Another negative factor is that she is a fool in love. I was really disgusted with her character when she cheated on Bobby twice! I get it that some people have major flaws but is still a good person at heart, but if I were Bobby, I wouldn’t give her another chance…..good friends with her - yes, lover no.


Michael as “kiu jing chor” / “Honey”
Hmm…Michael….lets just say it was also a decent performance by him, but I find that it somewhat annoying when he enlarges his eyes…I guess, as a way of acting like he’s shock….but I think it’s kind of scary and annoying. Perhaps Michael needed new contacts? Other than that, I think he has great presence whenever he gambles, and I can definitely see him as a big-time gambler. As for his character, I think his character is interesting, and at times I do pity him because he has some innate goodness inside him like caring for Benz genuinely at the end and realizing his mistakes. I can’t say Jessica too because now that I thought of CBWH, this makes me think his character was interested in Jessica again because she’s with Bobby again.

Well, is this character up to par with pure evil villains like Gallen in CBWH or Nick Cheung from Secret of the Heart? Sad to say, not really….just a jealous man with huge pride that let those bad attributes overpower everything and thus, turned himself into a bitter, lonely man while trying to lose the good people around him as much as possible (two good friends: Bobby and Benz, a lover: Jessica, a filial disciple and friend: Bosco, even his trustworthy Boss).

But there are two scenes in which I absolutely abhorred his actions…..one is when he chose to hide Benz after Benz got ran over, and two when he confront Tavia about the real reason he gave her money to watch Bosco. Perhaps because Tavia was really good in that scene, but I really want to punch Michael for using Tavia as a pawn.


Bosco as “ah Fu”
Ah Fu’s change was gradual, and it was set at a good pace. Within a series, there’s only so much you can do, especially since Bosco is just supporting. However, I think the scenes showing his transformation were good enough. He was a beggar and a recluse for years. Slowly, Bobby, Jessica and Eileen Yeow helped him to step into the light again. Then he got a stable job, the girl of his dreams, and a dream goal (to become a dealer/play cards).

Like Jessica, his character adores Michael’s character from the beginning. It’s hard to say, oh that person is bad, I have to dissociate myself from them….not if it’s someone you liked and trusted from the beginning and experienced so much with. (For example, if someone said your sibling or parent who you always have a good relationship with, is a bad person, you must make a choice between them or your other family members, is it that really easy to choose?)

Later on, b/c of Bosco’s injury, Michael was willing to save his life (and this is a point he adamantly makes over and over again). And with Michael’s influence and seemingly honest conversation, it’s not that hard to trust him. While he knows Bobby is his real blood brother, they never really had the opportunity to have that connection he makes with Michael when Bobby was in hiding. In a way, Michael tries to win his trust so he watches what he says, he says things that are good to hear, while Bobby tells the truth but he’s seen as the bad guy because his words are harsh/slander to Bosco’s ears. I also think that when Bosco knows Bobby was his brother, there was this subtle hatred for him b/c he lost him when he was a little kid so he had to experienced so much tragedies growing up.


Tavia as “Tam Chu Mei”/Mimi
Tavia’s character is very, very simple perhaps not a character that is memorable…but Tavia really made her character unique and loveable. She’s a simple, kind hearted girl. She dreams of marrying a rich guy, so that her family would live well, and that she would have a good life. It’s not that far from a lot of girls in reality, however she just took it one step more and had her breasts done (I think this is just very original for a TVB serie! lol). I’m not a big supporter of plastic surgery, but somehow Tavia made the process funny to watch. I also like how Tavia speaks in here the whole way, it is characteristic of her upbringing/residence in the Philippines.


Benz Hui as “ah Wing”
For his acting, I think Benz is really over the top in here. However, his performance was just awesome towards the very end. When he was on the bed and clasping his fingers while in pain, it was just really disturbing and realistic….so kudos to him for that scene.

I don’t really care for his character either until he is gone at the end. His death was just very troublesome and tragic….and his death is really bittersweet for all the characters.


Couple Discussions


Jessica and Michael in Dicey Business
Honestly, I don’t really understand why Michael would fall for Jessica and so deeply. A man of his position has probably met a lot of woman like her, so why fall for her so deeply? Just because she is persistent enough? Or just because she had more opportunities to make him happy? I don’t know, but I don’t really buy their relationship as a couple, or at least from his part.

Sort of Reminicent of Gallen-Jessica-Chilam from Cold Blood Warm Heart?
Gallen- Michael?
Jessica-Jessica?
Chilam-Bobby?
Now I don’t exactly remember every single thing that happened, but Gallen and Jessica’s story is somewhat like Jessica and Michael’s in this story. Jessica likes the guy first in both series, Gallen/Michael dates her and sleeps with her. Then Gallen/Michael breaks up with Jess (though b/c of different reasons), Jessica develops a nice relationship with a good man (Chilam/Bobby), and it is a relationship that is stable and comfortable. However, enters villain (Gallen/Michael) wooing her over and over until she finally gives in (I think this is just classic Gallen-Jessica story from CBWH). I guess one thing different is that Jessica didn’t exactly stay with him after they kissed and probably slept together after their kiss in the car. And then of course Jessica wanting her lover/villain pay for his crimes (in CBWH, she opts to kill him, in here, she goes undercover….anyone thinking Ada from SOH?). Of course, I think she also loves the villain more in both….so bad guy over husband material.


Jessica and Bobby
If you were Jessica in Dicey Business, would you choose Bobby or Michael? If I were Jessica, my mind would rationalize and choose Bobby, but I think my heart would yearn for and choose Michael (although I totally dislike his character here, the question is from her pt of view) but in Cold Blood Warm Heart, I would damn well choose Chilam no matter what! She was fascinated with Michael at the very beginning. He was like Prince Charming, and she was like Cinderella. He can give her excitement, romance, passion, and let her dreams come true. It’s basically a fight between the mind and the heart. To choose from the mind is to choose a peaceful and comfortable life with a good man. To choose from the heart is to choose the dream guy you always wanted who is not perfect but yet fulfill your heart’s desire. With Jessica, I think it would be more realistic for her to choose Michael because I think she will always love him more than Bobby. What Bobby and her have is loyalty and companionship, not exactly love and passion. A wise person once told me that love is full of sacrifices, and if that is the case, I think she sacrificed a lot for Michael…..a lot of time and energy on him, and even losing a good man and a decent lifestyle for him. At the end, she helped gather incriminating evidences against Michael but is it because she despises him or is it because she hopes to set him on the straight path again? Perhaps it’s half and half.

Bobby and Jess have some playful scenes here and there, and she does support him many times like when he had to go into hiding or having to gamble as Bosco admits himself into the hospital and vice versa, him being there when she finally conquers her fears about her parents. However, I think they can never pass that friendship boundary line because I don’t really see the characters in love. I think they cared a lot for each other, but it’s sort of a friendship type of feel. Also, Bobby and Jess do not really have that type of love attraction, even in Witness to a Prosecution. They work ok together yes, but they work better with respective other popular pairings.


Bosco and Tavia
This pairing just oozes with chemistry. Ever since I saw this pairing from Find the Light, I was rooting them as one of the ultimate couples with chemistry at TVB on par with Louis-Jess, Michael-Kenix, Flora-Bowie. And it really shows in this serie. Their performances as a couple is very natural, and they seem so comfortable around each other. Their characters really come to life and shine. If I see ah Mei and ah Fu on the street and not know they’re actors, I would buy them as a real young couple in love. I love their story together too. It was love at first sight for Bosco, and they were friends for a while before he finally has the courage to confess, and she finally realizes that she has feelings for him too. Even as Bosco’s character turns for the worse, I love that she stood by his side.

It is not surprising that their relationship was enjoyable to watch throughout the serie. Some couples have a good beginning, but they get boring when they get together. However, in here, I love the progress of ah fu and ah mei…..as just friends, then lovers, then having conflicts, then finally getting back together…..though I think they should’ve showed more scenes on how they got back together.

Final Thoughts

Addiction is a bad thing
This series seems to remind us that addiction is not a good thing, from gambling (Bobby at the beginning, Michael throughout), to love (Jessica for Michael), to filial devotion and idol worship (Bosco as Michael’s disciple), to money (Tavia for accepting Michael’s proposition to watch over Bosco). Sometimes, it’s good to know when to stop or else it would be too late to go back.


How happy I was with the ending?
The ending was alright. I liked that Bosco and Tavia made up, but I feel like I needed more scenes watching Tavia forgive him, but I didn’t really see that. As for Bobby and Jessica, I think it was a suitable ending for them. I think Bobby still cares for Jessica in a romantic way, but realistically, I think Jessica and him could only be friends after all that has happen between them. It would just be better and fair for the both of them. I think it would’ve been better if Jessica waited for Michael.


Speculation that Jessica was pregnant towards the end? http://virtuesofharmony.net/blog/?p=190 There is a speculation made by Metalaznwarrior about Jess being pregnant, and that Tavia’s first kid was actually Jess and Michael’s. The idea is plausible, but then, that would just be absolutely cruel for Tavia to lead Bosco on for years because at the end, she even happily said that he wanted to have both a girl and a boy, and also cruel for Jess to not be with her son, or Michael not knowing about them having a son. Second, Jessica was tied up and hanging for all too long to not be miscarried. I think the kid is just simply there to reference that they might be able to live a stable life as a couple again.

Metal’s conspiracy does sound more interesting, but I’m glad it doesn’t flat out say every female that vomits is pregnant though and two, I love a happy ending for my Bosco and Tavia lol.


My Rating:
Watch for Bosco and Tavia’s relationship, Bobby’s performance and character, if you’re a big fan of dramas related to betrayal centered around a villain. The plot drags at times, but overall, it has good mixture of romance, comedy, and drama. Whole serie in general is worth watching, though not exactly awesome.