Happy Together

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Happy Together

1997

1h 32m

Drama

LGBTQ+

Romance

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Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Lai (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) and his boyfriend, Ho (Leslie Cheung), arrive in Argentina from Hong Kong, seeking a better life. Their highly contentious relationship turns abusive and results in numerous break-ups and reconciliations. When Lai befriends another man, Chang (Chen Chang), he sees the futility of continuing with the promiscuous Ho. Chang, however, is on his own personal journey and, ultimately, both Lai and Ho find themselves far from home and desperately lonely.

Critics Consensus

Happy Together's strong sense of style complements its slice of life love story, even if the narrative slogs.

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Martin Hoyle

Financial Times

Beautifully photographed by Chris Doyle, the film's gently understated metaphors of searching and exploration linger on.

Jan 21, 2023

Full Review

Geoff Brown

The Times (UK)

Slim material? Definitely. But there is no chance to get fidgety with Wong the magician at the helm, guiding us lyrically through the seedier side of Buenos Aires.

Jan 20, 2023

Full Review

Richard Williams

Guardian

Some of its images are so polished in their beauty that they could have been taken from the many TV ads already influenced by Wong and his team. But Happy Together also turns out to be the most thoughtful and philosophically rewarding of his films.

Jan 20, 2023

Full Review

Jericho Tadeo

The Asian Cut

Happy Together is still a once-in-a-lifetime movie

Rated: 9/10

Jul 12, 2024

Full Review

Ian Thomas Malone

ianthomasmalone.com

Wong’s commitment to the tedious nature of his film’s core romance highlights a key pillar of the 90s LGBTQ experience. Many of us know what it’s like to give partners significantly more chances than they deserve.

Apr 29, 2024

Full Review

Michael Dwyer

Irish Times

To describe Happy Together as unpredictable is an understatement, as Wong's free-style film-making steers the narrative in any number of directions.

Jan 24, 2023

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Sylvia S.

Poor communication, defensive listening, passive-aggressive behavior, hurtful words, and constant boundary violations—their attachment issues are way beyond minor. Watching them together feels less like love and more like a shared pathology (facepalm). Three stars for the baffling relationship dynamic, one star for the acting.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/15/25

Full Review

Kalissa H

A lot of bickering but I was entertained the whole movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/21/25

Full Review

Siwoo J

사랑이구나ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/13/25

Full Review

Leprechaun K

One of WKW's best. It is perfect in everyway. You just don't want it to ever end. Performances by both Leung and Cheung are excellent.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/27/25

Full Review

Garry A

The toxic relationship in this film is fascinating, disturbing, sad, and heartbreaking. The performances seem so natural and realistic. It's a very compelling watch.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/25

Full Review

Sachin E

Wong Kar-wai is not a filmmaker, but rather a magician who creates wonders on screen.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/06/24

Full Review

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Kar-Wai Wong

Director

Leslie Cheung

Ho Po-wing

Tony Leung Chiu Wai

Lai Yiu-fai

Chang Chen

Chang

Gregory Dayton

Lover

Chan Yecheng

Producer

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Synopsis

Lai (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) and his boyfriend, Ho (Leslie Cheung), arrive in Argentina from Hong Kong, seeking a better life. Their highly contentious relationship turns abusive and results in numerous break-ups and reconciliations. When Lai befriends another man, Chang (Chen Chang), he sees the futility of continuing with the promiscuous Ho. Chang, however, is on his own personal journey and, ultimately, both Lai and Ho find themselves far from home and desperately lonely.

Director: Kar-Wai Wong
Producer: Chan Yecheng
Screenwriter: Kar-Wai Wong
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+, Romance
Original Language: Chinese
Release Date (DVD): May 16, 2006
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Surround

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