bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Edmund Lee

3.5/5 stars
Eric Tsang Chi-wai may be best known today as the face of free-to-air Hong Kong television station TVB’s increasingly jaded vision of entertainment – courtesy of long-running, unashamedly lowbrow variety shows under the Super Trio banner – but once in a while he serves a reminder that he can be a highly charismatic actor if he puts his mind to it.
Serving as both producer and lead actor here, the veteran Hong Kong comedian’s latest film, We Are Family, sees him ride an emotional roller coaster that may win over a few among his legions of detractors.
The story begins as a farcical showbiz satire and gradually morphs into a poignant drama about an impromptu family, before eventually slowing down and becoming an out-and-out tear-jerker involving life-and-death situations.


Tsang plays Chi-kwong, who we meet in the first scene as an extra on a film set. He proves a nuisance to everyone there purely because of his overzealous attempt to get his part right – think Stephen Chow Sing-chi’s character in King of Comedy.
The ageing acting enthusiast is soon recruited by Carlos (Carlos Chan Ka-lok), the young boss of a rent-a-family company. The briskly paced first act includes a variety of comedic episodes as Carlos, Chi-kwong and acting coach Catherine (Catherine Chau Ka-yee) take turns to satisfy clients who pay them to role-play as their substitute relatives.

One of Chi-kwong’s early assignments as a professional stand-in actor develops into a car chase, designed by action consultant Chin Ka-lok, a long-time accomplice of Tsang’s on the Super Trio shows.
The trio are then joined by Chi-kwong’s landlady, Fong (Tien Niu), in the wedding preparations of a bride-to-be who is enlisting their services – and it’s here that the lively screenplay by writer-director Benny Lau Wai-hang and his two co-writers switches gears to reveal the characters’ tragic backstories.
After his 2022 misfire Burning, a spectacularly awful psychological thriller, this film undoubtedly represents a return to form for Lau, who tends to be at his best when he is telling a compassionate story.

While the film’s descent into sentimental excess feels at odds with its funny opening, there is no denying the warm and fuzzy glow that the story imparts in spite of its abrupt changes in tones.
The phenomenon of rent-a-family businesses, well known in Japan but far less notable in Hong Kong, touches on issues of deception and ethical compromises – neither of which are meaningfully addressed in We Are Family.
In its own engaging way, Lau’s take on the morally complicated scenarios instead stays heart-warming until the end.
Want more articles like this? Follow SCMP Film on Facebook


Hong Kong to unveil 71 measures to level up creative, cultural industries on Tuesday

Who is Golden Horse best actress Chung Suet-ying and how did she start out in Hong Kong?

How the Erotic Ghost Story films shocked and seduced Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s Chung Suet-ying named best actress at Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

We Are Family movie review: Eric Tsang plays an overzealous actor in Hong Kong comedy about rent-a-families that takes a sentimental turn

Eric Tsang (right) in a still from We Are Family (category IIA; Cantonese), directed by Benny Lau and co-starring Carlos Chan and Catherine Chau.





(From left) Carlos Chan, Alexandra Della Pietra and Catherine Chau in a still from We Are Family.

A still from We Are Family.

The Lyricist Wannabe movie review: Chung Suet-ying tries to break into Hong Kong’s Cantopop scene in My Prince Edward director’s coming-of-age comedy

Chung Suet-ying (left) and Sabrina Ng in a still from The Lyricist Wannabe.

Chung Suet-ying (right) as Law Wing-sze and Amy Tang in a still from The Lyricist Wannabe (category IIB, Cantonese), directed by Norris Wong. Eric Kot and Sabrina Ng co-star.

Chung Suet-ying (right) as Law Wing-sze and Sabrina Ng as her best friend in a still from The Lyricist Wannabe.

(From left) Chung Suet-ying as Law Wing-sze, Jeannie Ng and Yeung Wai-lun in a still from The Lyricist Wannabe.

Rob N Roll movie review: Aaron Kwok, Lam Ka-tung ham it up in darkly comic Hong Kong crime drama with an ambitiously convoluted story

Aaron Kwok in a still from Rob N Roll.

Aaron Kwok in a still from Rob N Roll (category IIB; Cantonese), directed by Albert Mak and co-starring Lam Ka-tung and Richie Jen.

Lam Ka-tung (front) and Richie Jen in a still from Rob N Roll.

(From left) Lam Ka-tung, Aaron Kwok and Richie Jen in a still from Rob N Roll.

Table for Six 2 movie review: Lunar New Year comedy sequel anchored by Stephy Tang is a chaotic but satisfying follow-up to the 2022 box office sensation

Stephy Tang (left) and Jeffrey Ngai in a still from Table for Six 2 (Category: IIA, Cantonese), directed by Sunny Chan and co-starring Louis Cheung and Ivana Wong.

Stephy Tang as Monica in a still from Table for Six 2 (category IIA; Cantonese), directed by Sunny Chan and co-starring Louis Cheung and Ivana Wong.

(From left) Peter Chan, Dee Ho and Louis Cheung in a still from Table for Six 2.

Lin Min-chen as Meow and Jeffrey Ngai, playing Stephy Tang’s character Monica’s half-brother, in a still from Table for Six 2.

The Moon Thieves movie review: boy band Mirror’s Anson Lo, Keung To and Edan Lui star in heist thriller that’s fun to watch – even if one of them is miscast

Edan Lui in a still from The Moon Thieves.

Louis Cheung (second left), Michael Ning (middle), Anson Lo (second right) and Edan Lui (right) play a gang of watch thieves in a still from The Moon Thieves (category: IIB, Cantonese), co-starring Keung To and directed by Yuen Kim-wai.

Keung (left) as a cold-blooded mob boss in a still from The Moon Thieves, a role in which he is unconvincing.

Watch thieves (from left) Lui, Ning, Cheung and Lo in a still from The Moon Thieves.

Crypto Storm movie review: anti-corruption thriller is an OK watch – albeit wholly unrealistic about how Hong Kong graft-busters operate

Ron Ng (front) in a still from “Crypto Storm” (category IIB; Cantonese), directed by Terry Ng and co-starring Edward Ma and Justin Cheung.

Edward Ma (left) as Sung Tse-hin and Rebecca Zhu in a still from “Crypto Storm”. 

Ron Ng (left) as ICAC chief investigation officer Lok Yat-fung and Chloe So as a computer hacker in a still from “Crypto Storm”. 

Lifestyle

Entertainment

Culture

Film & TV

Hong Kong comedian Eric Tsang takes a break from the lowbrow variety shows for which he’s known to act in this satire that morphs into a poignant tear-jerker
The story follows an ageing actor with a tragic backstory who starts work for a rent-a- family business. The film imparts warmth, despite its shifting tone


We Are Family, Hong Kong comic Eric Tsang’s film about rent-a-families, starts off as a farcical showbiz satire before taking viewers on an emotional roller coaster, and ends as a poignant tear-jerker.


Chinese language cinema

Asian cinema

Film reviews

Cinema

Hong Kong cinema

Asian cinema: Chinese films

Fame and celebrity

Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Hong Kong culture

Hong Kong entertainment

What to do in Hong Kong

An assessment or critique of a service, product or creative endeavour.  Film reviews, restaurant reviews, reviews of art exhibitions. (Eg. Crazy Rich Asians: an important film, yes, but a good one?)


Review

Review | We Are Family movie review: Eric Tsang plays an overzealous actor in Hong Kong comedy about rent-a-families that takes a sentimental turn