The Tricky Master (1999) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The movie takes place primarily in Hong Kong, specifically in the Happy Valley area with its urban police station and city streets. Additional scenes are set in Macau, where Master Wong previously worked and where some of the con schemes unfold. The settings include a beachfront location representing Ferrari's operation and a luxurious mansion serving as the criminal headquarters.

• hong kong
• macau
• happy valley
• setting
• locations

The film is set in the 1990s, reflecting the era's early computer networks and personal devices. The technology depicted, including computer viruses and data encryption, mirrors the period's tech landscape. This contemporary setting contrasts fast-paced urban life with casual beach environments.

• 1990s
• time period
• era
• contemporary setting

Deception is the central theme driving the plot. The story revolves around undercover cops, con artists, and criminals who constantly assume disguises, switch allegiances, and manipulate information. The film uses humor to show how deception can both empower and entrap the characters involved.

• deception
• theme
• con artists
• undercover
• disguises

Master Wong, played by Stephen Chow, is a celebrated conman and gambling-trick expert known for his street smarts and improvisation. He serves as both teacher and mentor to undercover cop Leung Foon, guiding him in the art of deception. He acts as a surrogate father figure while helping Leung plan vengeance against crime boss Ferrari.

• master wong
• stephen chow
• conman
• mentor
• gambling trick expert

Leung Foon, played by Nick Cheung Ka-Fai, is an undercover police detective assigned to dismantle the illegal trading ring run by crime boss Ferrari. Initially a cheerful but impatient officer seeking a big case, he transforms as he learns the conman's skills from Master Wong, evolving from reluctant detective to apprentice conman.

• leung foon
• nick cheung
• undercover cop
• detective
• police

Ferrari, played by Wong Jing, is the main antagonist, an infamous big-time swindler who runs the illegal trading ring that the police are trying to dismantle. He operates from a luxurious mansion and uses high-society aesthetics to seduce and defraud his targets, surrounding himself with henchmen like Fat Pig.

• ferrari
• wong jing
• crime boss
• antagonist
• swindler
• villain

The theme explores Leung Foon's evolution from a reluctant detective into an apprentice conman under Master Wong's guidance. This journey highlights learning, adaptation, and the tension between his official police duty and survival in the criminal underworld. The transformation is portrayed as both comic and revealing about self-identity.

• identity
• transformation
• character growth
• self-discovery
• learning

Trust and Love is a key theme examining how romantic and friendly relationships are tested amid the film's various schemes. Characters like Pizza and First Love represent different faces of affection and manipulation, showing how trust is shaped by circumstance and desires for security or advancement. The humor arises from the clash between romance and con artistry.

• trust
• love
• romance
• relationships
• pizza
• first love

Pizza, played by Suki Kwan Sau-Mei, is Leung Foon's girlfriend, a confident, street-smart woman who moves easily through the con world. She introduces Leung to the high stakes of masterful deception and adds complexity to his loyalties through her own connections within the criminal underworld.

• pizza
• suki kwan
• girlfriend
• relationship
• conwoman

The Tricky Master is a Hong Kong comedy-action-crime film. The tone is predominantly light and playful, featuring comedic interactions and humorous moments between the cop and con artist. While the stakes involve crime and swindling, the intensity remains medium and balanced by comedic elements rather than heavy drama.

• comedy
• action
• crime
• genre
• hong kong cinema
• tone