Review | Far Far Away movie review: Hong Kong’s remote fringes and culture explored in Amos Why’s quirky romantic comedy

An unlikely ladies’ man in Hong Kong is presented with five women to date – the catch being that they all live in some of the most far-flung corners of the city

The film by Amos Why, peppered with witty and socially conscious dialogue, is a must-see for anyone with the slightest interest in Hong Kong’s heritage

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Sham Ka-ki and Hanna Chan in a still from Far Far Away (category: IIB, Cantonese), directed by Amos Why. Cecilia So and Jennifer Yu co-star.

Published: 5:15pm, 2 Aug 2022

3.5/5 stars

For lovers of Hong Kong and its culture and history, there is something undeniably stirring about the films of Amos Why.

While still relatively unknown to audiences of mainstream commercial films, the indie writer-director also known as Wong Ho-yin is quietly establishing himself as one of Hong Kong cinema’s leading cultural commentators.

After examining the city’s social malaise and the potential for change through activism in his second film, the unconventional detective mystery Napping Kid (2018), in Far Far Away Wong returns to the subject matter of his engrossing 2014 directing debut, Dot 2 Dot.

This, his third feature, is another must-see effort for anyone with the slightest interest in the city’s geography and cultural heritage.

It is a breezy comedy in which a socially awkward young man flirts with several beautiful women in quick succession – the catch being that they happen to live in some of the most far-flung corners of Hong Kong, thus calling for lengthy drives, ferry trips or even hikes to visit them.

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