The First Time is the Last Time 1989

Ma Yuk-fung is a simple-minded young woman who would blindly do anything for love. Driven by the influence of her triad boyfriend, Robert, she makes a perilous choice to enter prison with one clear mission: to kill Winnie Wong in order to avenge her lover’s triad boss, Man. After the plan unfolds, Yuk-fung is arrested for drug possession and sentenced to six months behind bars, a period during which she wrestles with loneliness and the realization that Robert may be using her for his own ends.

Inside the prison walls, Yuk-fung endures isolation and taunts, her longing for Robert growing stronger as the days pass. She meets a fragile support network among fellow inmates, including the formidable Crazy Bitch, a disfigured but sharp-tisted woman, and 5354, an inmate who is balancing a unique set of circumstances with her pregnancy and her relationship with the father of her child. Together, this unlikely trio forms a bond, helping Yuk-fung weather the bullying and find small moments of solace in a harsh environment.

As the story unfolds, the backstories of the inmates come to light. Crazy Bitch recalls a troubled past: a harsh childhood spent on a boat, a fall into prostitution, and a long struggle with drugs. A fateful encounter with a triad member, Yung, who later turns out to be an undercover cop, marks a turning point in her life. Yung’s betrayal and courage shape the dreams she and Crazy Bitch once shared—escaping their old lives together and starting anew in Canada. The tragedy that follows—Yung’s death at the hands of Man—shatters those dreams, but Crazy Bitch’s resolve grows into a cold, if righteous, vengeance. Her plan to avenge Yung leads to a dramatic confrontation in a sauna, where she defeats Man and his underlings, a victory that also leaves her scarred by the heat and fire of that room. The consequences trap her within the prison system, yet the memory of Yung’s sacrifice fuels her next steps.

Back in Yuk-fung’s smaller world, a tender thread forms: she rescues and secretly cares for a kitten found inside the prison. The bond between Yuk-fung, 5354, and Crazy Bitch grows stronger as they support one another, imagining a future beyond the bars once they are released—dreams of new lives and shared happiness with their respective partners. Yet the fragile peace is shattered when the truth emerges: Winnie Wong isn’t merely the target of Yuk-fung’s mission—she is, in fact, the woman known to Crazy Bitch as her own rival and, by extension, the exact person Yuk-fung once believed she must kill.

The story takes a brutal turn when 5354 is killed by a disturbed inmate, and her unborn child is lost. The atmosphere in the prison grows heavier as Yuk-fung weighs loyalty against reality. She clings to the idea of friendship and a life beyond crime, but the world outside remains unforgiving. With mounting resolve, Yuk-fung chooses her own path—one forged in defiance of Robert’s manipulation and shaped by the ties she has formed inside the prison walls.

In the end, the film circles back to the fragility of trust and the cost of vengeance. On the day of Yuk-fung’s release, she steps out with hope and a small kitten as her companion, but the world outside is not kind. Robert, devoid of empathy, drives his car into Yuk-fung, ending her life in a single, brutal moment. The kitten escapes back to the safety of the room, and Winnie Wong receives the burden of the truth with a quiet, sorrowful gaze—an ending that lingers with unresolved sadness.