Review | A Journey of Happiness film review: Malaysia-set Chinese New Year road movie sees a Hong Kong family find themselves
- A trip across Malaysia intended as a way to bring members of a family back together doesn’t start well, but events conspire to change that
- Joyce Cheng and Lo Hoi-pang get rare star billing in a sweet-natured film that’s more melodrama than the comedic road movie the director intended
2.5/5 stars
A Hong Kong family learns to love each other all over again through an eventful road trip across Malaysia in this sweet-natured comedy. Scripted by Ryon Lee ( Show Me Your Love ) and so many supporting writers that you wonder how they settled for a story this haphazard, Malaysian filmmaker J.Y. Teng’s (A House of Happiness) second feature is a mildly diverting effort that just about delivers on its premise.
A Lifetime Treasure review: Andrew Lam’s ode to the old
Since the family matriarch passed away, the Shiu household has been in disarray despite the best efforts of Shiu Sum (Joyce Cheng Yan-yee), the second of three adult children, to hold things together. A hard-working travel agent who loses her job due to her aggressive nature, Sum hopes an impromptu trip to Malaysia over Chinese New Year will bring the family together.
How wrong she is. From the moment their rented car breaks down in sweltering heat, it’s clear Sum’s intentions are not appreciated by her depressed father (Lo Hoi-pang) and inert brothers, property agent Shiu Beng (Jerry Lam Hiu-fung) and vlogger Shiu Lap (Alex Lam Tak-shun). But surprise, surprise, the family will find much common ground by the end of their week-long trip.
As it moves between scenic spots (from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh and the Cameron Highlands), A Journey of Happiness provides a decent advertisement for Malaysia’s tourist industry.
Less effective are the scriptwriters’ efforts to inject chaos into the plot: the obstacles the Shius face are largely contrived; one segment, which sees three of the characters end up in police custody, borders on the idiotic. Indeed, A Journey of Happiness is far more effective as a family melodrama than a comedic road movie.
It’s good to see Cheng and Lo, perpetually relegated to supporting roles by Hong Kong directors, given the platform to stretch their acting chops as the daughter and father at the story’s centre. And Malaysian Chinese singer Ah Niu provides much delight as a boastful local travel agent.
