"In 1985, Mabel Cheung was awarded Best Director for her first film, The Illegal Immigrant. This film, produced by D & B Films, is the second part of her ‘Migration Trilogy'. Recipient of numerous film awards, this is Cheung's second directorial effort and features Law as scriptwriter. Cherie Chung plays Jennifer, a romantic university student who goes to New York to be with her boyfriend (Danny Chan). Unfortunately, he dumps her. A stranger in a strange land, Jennifer discovers the only person who shows her any concern is Samuel Pang (Chow Yun-fat), a waiter at a Chinatown restaurant. Samuel is vulgar and addicted to gambling, everything Jennifer dislikes in a man. They argue continuously, but somehow love grows between them. The three screen idols Chung, Chan and Chow all portray characters not typical of their usual types, bringing a breath of fresh air to the film. The emotional ups and downs are expertly handled. The different levels of interweaving of romance, at once gentle and melancholic, have become the signature touch of the Mabel Cheung-Alex Law, director-writer combination."
Hong Kong Film Archive