Happy Together

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Happy Together

1997

1h 32m

Drama

LGBTQ+

Romance

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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

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

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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

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Jericho Tadeo

The Asian Cut

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

Rated: 9/10

Jul 12, 2024

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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

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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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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

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morgan t

It's been a long time since I've seen such an honest film. You couldn't take your eyes off the actors- they worked so beautifully together. I forgot I was was watching a movie- just two broken people who couldn't communicate their love to each other. Brilliant film. Wong Kar-Wai never fails to amaze me.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/08/24

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PridePosterStudios

Wikipedia doesn’t even scratch the surface describing their relationship as “tumultuous”

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/26/24

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Joey c

Gonna find some time watch it again

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/25/23

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Joe S

Loved it! Reminded me, somewhat, of Midnight Cowboy. Very strong characters, wonderful story, poignant relationships.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/26/23

Full Review

witold r

Wong Kar-Wai bittersweet and boldly about the unsuccessful, mutually toxic love of two young Hong Kong boys abroad in Argentina in search of a better life, with a pinch of tango, Astor Piazolla (the seductive compositions "Prologue - Tango apasionado", "Finale - Tangoasionado "And" Milonga for Three" play with the moments of coupling lovers and their separation, and so on), Frank Zappa (" Chunga's Revenge "and" I Have Been in You "- emphasizing the unstable relationship between Lai Yiu-fai (Tony Leung) and Ho Po- wing (Leslie Cheung), their aggression and love flickering back and forth, Wong's elliptical short story sees them apart and then back together like a dance) and the 1967 hit The Turtles, from which the film took its headline. In some places it is boring, but quite interesting about the hardships of love as a common path to happiness. Well done by cinematographer Christopher Doyle (previously with Wai on "Ashes of Time, 1994, and later with Phillip Noyce, Yimou Zhang and Jim Jarmush) - pictures from travels, lof andscapes (including impressive photos of Iguazú Falls on the Argentine-Brazilian border) and the poor neighborhoods districts of Buenos Aires. Black and white photography is mixed with juicy, colorful in the right places where the action unfolds.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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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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