The entertaining high-school caper Bad Genius became the highest-grossing Thai film in Hong Kong box office history yesterday, surpassing the HK$15.25 million record held by 2000’s The Iron Ladies, an underdog comedy based on the true story of a male volleyball team made up of gays and transsexuals.

Released on August 17 after weeks of public “preview” screenings, the new film about a quartet of high-school students who devise a test-cheating scheme for profit has struck a chord with the audience with its attractive cast, vibrant storytelling and, of course, an obsession with public exam systems that would feel very familiar to Hong Kong viewers.