A True Mob Story

A True Mob Story

Year: 1998

Runtime: 112 mins

Language: Cantonese

Director: Wong Jing

CrimeActionRomanceThriller

After rescuing his boss during a violent gang clash in Hong Kong, a low‑level Triad member earns newfound respect, even as his wife is killed in the same skirmish. Though his rank seems to rise, he is double‑crossed by rival bosses who have no loyalty to him, and the enemy he once beat and hospitalized returns to exact revenge.

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Timeline & Setting – A True Mob Story (1998)

Explore the full timeline and setting of A True Mob Story (1998). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1993–1998

The story unfolds across the mid- to late-1990s in Hong Kong. It begins in 1993, highlighting triad loyalties and a brutal power dynamic between Prince and Cheung. Five years later, in 1998, the plot widens to drug trafficking, counterfeit VCD operations, and courtroom battles that redefine the characters’ fates.

Location

Hong Kong

Hong Kong serves as the backdrop for a late-20th-century triad saga. The city’s crowded streets, docks, and courts become the battleground where loyalty, debt, and vengeance collide. The film portrays a gritty, neon-lit underworld typical of mid-to-late 1990s Hong Kong.

🏙️ Hong Kong 🗡️ Triad underworld 🧭 1990s crime

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:04

Main Characters – A True Mob Story (1998)

Meet the key characters of A True Mob Story (1998), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Wai Cheung-Dee (Andy Lau)

A hard-edged triad underling who rises in Prince’s inner circle through brutal action and staunch loyalty. He rescues Prince by slashing Crazy Ball’s eye, earning power but deepening a deadly vendetta. His wife Cindy’s death and his relationship with Ruby reveal the personal costs of a life of crime. He is ultimately killed by Uncle Mei’s henchmen on the streets after the trial’s twists.

🗡️ Violent 🧭 Loyal 💼 Ambitious

Cindy (Angie Cheung)

Wai Cheung-Dee’s wife who witnesses the night's slaughter and tries to help, only to be run over by a car. Her death marks a personal blow to Cheung and underscores the consequences of a life steeped in violence. She represents the collateral damage that ripples through Cheung’s world.

💔 Tragic 🧭 Loyal 🕊️ Sacrifice

Ruby Kwan (Suki Kwan Sau-Mei)

Cindy’s friend who harbors a crush on Cheung and helps care for his son Tai-hung, later becoming his partner. She works in an entertainment venue and endures abduction by Crazy Ball; the attack and Tai-hung’s injuries highlight how Cheung’s violent world touches the innocent. Her relationship with Cheung becomes a fragile lifeline in a dangerous landscape.

💖 Love 👪 Family 🎭 Entertainment

Sandy Leung (Gigi Leung Wing-Kei)

A defense attorney who surrounds Cheung’s case with determination and grows emotionally involved. She fights to defend him, ultimately testifying about their relationship to secure his acquittal, even as she wrestles with moral conflict. Her choices shape the courtroom’s outcome and Cheung’s fate.

💼 Lawyer ❤️ Love ⚖️ Justice

Prince (Mark Cheng Ho-Nam)

A powerful triad leader who collaborates with Cheung yet covets Ruby, triggering a deadly feud. He hides from Cheung and becomes a target in the escalating violence. His murder by Crazy Ball catalyzes further bloodshed and reshapes the balance of power.

👑 Leader 🗡️ Power 💣 Conflict

Crazy Ball (Ben Ng Ngai-Cheung)

The vengeful rival who abducts and torments Cheung’s world to settle old scores. He is ultimately killed by Cheung after a spree of violence that leaves friends and rivals reeling. His relentless pursuit drives the fatal consequences that mark the film’s climax.

🗡️ Revenge ⚔️ Rivalry 💥 Violence

Michael (Alex Fong Chung-Sun)

Sandy’s boyfriend and Cheung’s observer who suspects drug trafficking and tries to derail the defense. He represents institutional tension and the pressure to criminalize Cheung. His interference contributes to the courtroom’s high-stakes struggle and the moral grey area surrounding Cheung’s actions.

💼 Investigator 🧪 Suspicion ⚖️ Law

David Lee Wai-Sheung (David)

An undercover cop who has been in operation for a year, quietly gathering information. He provides favorable testimony that supports Cheung’s innocence, influencing the final verdict. His role reveals the complexities of truth and loyalty within the police and criminal worlds.

🕵️ Undercover 🧭 Loyalty 📜 Testimony

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:04

Major Themes – A True Mob Story (1998)

Explore the central themes of A True Mob Story (1998), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⚔️ Revenge & Loyalty

Cheung’s rise is powered by fierce loyalty to Prince and a willingness to pursue brutal revenge against Crazy Ball. The vendetta pulls him deeper into the triad’s deadly code, blurring lines between protection and aggression. Personal costs mount as family and loved ones become collateral in the wars between rivals.

💼 Power & Ambition

The narrative tracks Cheung’s ascent within the underworld and a dirty business empire that blends triad influence with illegal production. The 1990s factory venture and later drug trafficking schemes reveal how power corrupts and expands beyond organized crime’s street battles. The pursuit of status comes with a steep price for those around him.

⚖️ Truth & Justice

A legal battle drives much of the drama as Sandy fights to defend Cheung in court and uncover the truth behind the accusations. Undercover David’s testimony and Sandy’s shifting role test the line between justice and loyalty. In the end, Cheung is acquitted, but the finale underscores the fragility of justice in a world of crime.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:04

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Bleak Crime Downward Spirals like in A True Mob Story

Stories where a character's attempt to rise in a criminal world leads to their ultimate ruin.If you liked the tragic arc of betrayal and revenge in A True Mob Story, explore these other movies about characters whose rise in a criminal world is brutally cut short. These films share a bleak outlook and heavy emotional weight, featuring stories of moral corruption and inevitable downfall in settings like the triads, mafia, or gritty underworlds.

tragicbrutalcynicalrevenge-drivenfutilegrittyparanoid

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows a protagonist who gains some measure of power or respect within a criminal organization, but this success is temporary. The story is defined by key betrayals from within, the return of old enemies, and a chain of events that leads to an inescapable, often fatal, conclusion that reinforces the futility of their struggle.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread are grouped by their shared commitment to a dark, cynical tone and a bleak ending. They feature high-intensity violence, heavy emotional stakes, and a fast-paced descent into tragedy, creating a cohesive experience of fatalistic crime dramas.

High-Octane Underworld Betrayals like in A True Mob Story

Fast-paced thrillers set in criminal syndicates where loyalty is a liability.For viewers who enjoyed the fast-paced triad conflicts and constant betrayals in A True Mob Story, this collection features similar movies about organized crime syndicates. These films are characterized by their gritty realism, high-stakes violence, and narratives where characters are pawns in a larger, ruthless game of power with no happy endings.

anxiousparanoidgrittyrevenge-drivenbrutalcynicaltense

Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread unfold at a breakneck pace, driven by sudden acts of violence and shocking betrayals that constantly raise the stakes. The protagonist is often a mid-level figure caught between powerful, duplicitous bosses, navigating a landscape where any victory is temporary and the next threat is always around the corner.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their specific world-building—the inner workings of a crime syndicate—combined with a fast pacing and high intensity. The shared vibe is one of anxiety, paranoia, and gritty action, making for a cohesive selection of tense underworld dramas.

Unlock the Full Story of A True Mob Story

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A True Mob Story Summary

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A True Mob Story Summary

A True Mob Story Timeline

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A True Mob Story Timeline

A True Mob Story Spoiler-Free Summary

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A True Mob Story Spoiler-Free Summary

More About A True Mob Story

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