Sparrow (2008): Cast, Box Office & Plot
Sparrow is a 2008 comedy drama directed by Johnnie To, starring Simon Yam as Kei, Kelly Lin Hsi-Lei and Gordon Lam Ka-Tung. It runs 1 hour 27 minutes and earned $3.5 million worldwide.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 27m (87 min)
- Director
- Johnnie To
- Original language
- Cantonese
- Studio
- Milkyway Image
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Sparrow About?
The premise of Sparrow without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Kei leads a crew of streetwise pickpockets, called “Sparrows” in Hong Kong slang, and spends his days drifting through the city with his camera. When a striking woman named Chun‑Lei steps into his frame, he is instantly captivated. As he pursues her, he discovers that beneath her alluring exterior she harbors a secret past and a personal mission to liberate herself.
Sparrow Themes & Keywords
· 33 tags- bing sutt
- hong kong
- pickpocket
- telephone booth
- overweight
- elevator
- watch
- wallet
- slow motion
- pizza
- pizza delivery
- mcdonald's restaurant
+21 more Show fewer
- massage
- man dresses as a woman
- mafia
- drinking
- dinner
- dangerous criminal
- car trouble
- balloon
- aquarium
- umbrella
- sparrow
- rooftop
- rain
- pipe smoking
- photograph
- passport
- cigarette smoking
- brother brother relationship
- boss
- bird cage
- bicycle
Sparrow Cast & Characters
Simon Yam leads the cast as Kei, with Kelly Lin Hsi-Lei as Chung Chun Lei and Gordon Lam Ka-Tung as Bo. Directed by Johnnie To; 21 actors are credited in all.
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Director Johnnie To
-
Simon Yam as Kei - Kelly Lin Hsi-Lei as Chung Chun Lei
- Gordon Lam Ka-Tung as Bo
- Law Wing-Cheong as Sak
Also Starring in Sparrow
· 17 more- Kenneth Cheung Moon-Yuen Mac
- Lam Suet Lung
- Lo Hoi-Pang Mr. Fu Kim-Tong
- Courtney Wu Henchman (uncredited)
- Tang Tai-Wo Mover in Elevator
- Cheung Chi-Ping
- Ernest Mauser
- Jackson Ha Chak-Shun Mr. Fu's Bodyguard
- Hung Wai-Leung Policeman
- Tong Pau-Chung Old Pickpocket
- Jonathan Lee Yat-Sing Boy in Cap
- Manjit Singh Mover in Elevator
- Henry Lo Mr. Fu's Henchman
- Chiang Lo Old Pickpocket
- Jeff Cheung Ka-Kit Mr. Fu's Bodyguard
- Chris Chung Nurse
Show all 21 cast members Show fewer cast members
More from Johnnie To
More films directed by Johnnie To, best-rated first: Drug War, Vengeance, Triad Election and Office.
Sparrow Plot Summary
What happens in Sparrow from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Kei, [Simon Yam], leads Bo [Gordon Lam Ka-Tung], Sak [Law Wing-Cheong], and Mac [Kenneth Cheung Moon-Yuen] as a tight-knit team of professional pickpockets who execute coordinated thefts in broad daylight across Hong Kong. Their days unfold with precision: they study crowds, time their moves, and slip away before anyone notices, turning bustling streets into a stage for their practiced craft. Outside the rhythm of the heist, Kei pursues street photography, a quiet hobby that contrast warns of danger and beauty alike, and it is through this lens that he first encounters Chun-Lei [Kelly Lin Hsi-Lei], a mysterious woman who seems to be on the run. The moment she crosses Kei’s frame, a fascination takes root, and he begins to photograph her with a mix of curiosity and tension.
Full summary
The whole story of Sparrow, scene by scene
Sparrow Box Office
Sparrow grossed $3.5 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$3.5M
- International
- $3.5M
Sparrow Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Sparrow.
How Well Do You Know Sparrow?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the specialty of Kei and his crew?
Sparrow Also Known As
9 alternative titles, including “Man Jeuk” and “The Sparrow”.
- Also known as
-
- Man Jeuk
- The Sparrow
- スリ
- Kieszonkowcy
- スリ：2008
- Воробей
- Vrabčák
- Джебчии
- 스패로우
Seen Sparrow?
Movies Like Sparrow
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Sparrows Dance, Sparrows Can’t Sing and Chungking Express.
Sparrow FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, post-credit scenes and language of Sparrow, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Sparrow?
Sparrow runs 1 hour 27 minutes (87 minutes).
When was Sparrow released?
Sparrow was released on February 11, 2008.
Who directed Sparrow?
Sparrow was directed by Johnnie To.
More films by Johnnie To Who is in the cast of Sparrow?
Sparrow stars Simon Yam as Kei, Kelly Lin Hsi-Lei as Chung Chun Lei and Gordon Lam Ka-Tung as Bo, among 21 credited actors.
How much did Sparrow make at the box office?
Sparrow grossed $3.5 million worldwide.
Does Sparrow have a post-credit scene?
No. Sparrow has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is Sparrow in?
The original language of Sparrow is Cantonese.
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