Review After Watching 'No More Bets'

'No More Bets' (Chinese: 孤注一掷) is a 2023 Chinese crime thriller film directed by Shen Ao and produced by Ning Hao. 

"Programmer Pan Sheng and model Liang Anna were lured overseas by a supposed high paying job.  However, it turned out that the promised employment is actually a slave camp-like fraud factory.  Being imprisoned and abused by their handler, they are forced to commit cyber fraud on online victims.  Through their actions, a stranger Gu Tianzhi got addicted into online gambling.  After losing all his savings, Gu attempts su***de by jumping off a building.  Gu's girlfriend called the police.  Police Zhao Dongran started investigations and eventually cracked down the syndicate."

After watching the movie, it really send chills down my spine as it is so close to life.  How did Gu Tianzhi get hooked on online gambling?  It all started with a simple online gambling ad, which is so prevalent nowadays.  Just watch YouTube, and probably some gambling ads may pop up along the way.  Just swipe around social media, and similar ads lurks around.  All it takes is a moment of folly, curiosity, and a simple click may result in undesirable outcome.  This is especially worrying nowadays as the implementation of AI can allow the underground syndicates to get hold of all your spending habits, interests and hobbies, and hence find means and ways to hook you up.  Lesson learnt from this is never click on any of such ads that may hook you up.  Fast money from gambling are all fake as such portals dictate whether you win or lose.  This can also be linked to 'investing' where we see advertisements of high interest returns on social media.  Do not believe in the lure of such crafted words because you may earn the interest but lose your capital.  Basically, when it is too good to be true, it probably is.

How did Anna agree to work with the syndicates?  It is all a collaborated move by a friend, who is in cahoots with members of the syndicate, to set a trap to turn Anna's life upside-down, made her lose her job and hence in need to seek income elsewhere.  The scenario is not absurd at all apparently, as there are many rescued individuals from such scams (also known as '猪仔'), especially from Taiwan and Malaysia, claimed that they were hoaxed by their friends with promises of better pay and work prospects in foreign land.  Later, to their horror, they only found out they were captured and made to scam others, failing which results in endless beating and torture, or being sold to other syndicates.  Lesson learnt from this is never trust a friend wholeheartedly, especially one whom you have not met for a long time.  Do your own homework on overseas work assignments.  Never believe the promise of higher pay and better renumeration in a developing country that has a lower GDP or median GDP per capita than your home country.  Logically, that is impossible if it is a legitimate trade or business.  Once again, if it is too good to be true, it probably is.

The individual who is most unfortunate is Pan Sheng in the movie.  He was promised a new job with better pay and prospects in Singapore, a financial hub in ASEAN, and a quick search online made him believe all was legitimate with the pictures of nice office and accommodation.  The only suspicious point in the movie that he should spot is the unlikely need for flight transfer in another ASEAN country.  Singapore, being a financial and travel hub, should have direct flights to many areas.  In the event that transfer is necessary, it should not have been in another ASEAN country.  Lesson learnt from this is never leave your important documents like passport in another person's hand, especially one whom you do not know well.  Always remain cautious and alert when travelling in another country, and never walk in small, quiet lanes.

The most important takeaway from this show is probably it's famous quote: 

"人有两颗心 - 贪心和不甘心"

"Everyone has two hearts- The heart of greed and the heart of non-reconciled"

Personally, I think the movie resonated very well with me.  It gave me much insights on how scams work and how individuals may be tricked into the industry, be it willingly or unwillingly.  I would like to conclude this post with this final thought:

"可怜之人必有可恨之处, 可恨之人必有可悲之苦”  

which can be translated to:

"Pathetic persons will have hateful traits, and notorious persons will suffer bitterly sorrows".

Pardon the bad translation which may not be too accurate, but I believe this Chinese saying is an accurate depiction and summary of what I learnt from the movie.  No matter what, '君子爱财，取之有道' (translated as 'a gentleman who loves wealth will retrieve/earn it in a proper way').  What goes around, comes around.  Regardless, stay safe.  Barista FIRE, here I come...!