Table for Six

Had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic, 'Table for Six' and 'Chilli Laugh Story' would have gone head to head at the box office during the lucrative Chinese New Year period. That both films decided in the end to find separate release windows is a blessing in disguise, for both are worthy and deserving of audience attention. Whereas 'Chilli' saw the filmmaking debut of Coba Cheng under the tutelage of producer Sandra Ng, 'Table' marks the sophomore film by veteran screenwriter Sunny Chan under producer Bill Kong, and it is to the credit of both producers that each of these films are warm, wise and funny in their own ways.

Unfolding largely within the confines of their father's former barbeque pork kitchen which three brothers have since converted into a spacious apartment, 'Table' weaves a coming-of-age story for the siblings Steve (Dayo Wong), Bernard (Louis Cheung) and Lung (Peter Chan). The eldest Steve is a professional photographer, who has converted part of the space in the apartment into his own studio; more importantly though, he has taken it upon himself to head the household following the death of their parents. Lung has quit his day job in the hopes of making it big as a professional e-sports player, much to the chagrin of his longtime girlfriend Josephine (Ivana Wong). Among the three, Bernard seems to be the most well-adjusted, though it is also him who throws all their lives into disarray.

The first of several reunion dinners that are the equivalent of the movie's set-pieces sees Bernard bringing home his new girlfriend Monica (Stephy Tang), who was Steve's ex-girlfriend until their break-up three years ago that he still hasn't gotten over. Despite his own feelings, Steve generously welcomes Monica to join the family, inviting her to move in with them than remain in her subdivided flat he is all too familiar with. Steve further over-compensates by asking popular internet model Meow (Lin Min Chen) to move in as well, the latter an online celebrity who happens to be his biggest fan. Together with Josephine, whom Steve and Bernard had earlier invited to move in to be their resident chef, it is as crowded and as complicated as it gets.

Eschewing the 'mo lei tau' style of comedy of the typical CNY comedy, Chan adopts a dialogue-heavy, character-driven approach to his storytelling. A subsequent dinner conversation lays bare how Bernard had been interested in Monica even when she was Steve's girlfriend and had deliberately engineered their meet-cute over a project which Monica's advertising company had tendered for. A heart-to-heart talk between Steve and Meow reveals how the latter is a lot more astute and perceptive than her cutesy image suggests, and what Steve has been suppressing all these years in order not to be a cause of worry to his brothers. And just when you think the only thing that could go right would save the family from being torn apart, Lung and Josephine's relationship unravels in unexpected ways.

That none of the characters ends up being superfluous is credit to Chan's scripting, which takes time to sculpt each character's anxieties, insecurities and motivations. It is no surprise the family will come apart before coming back together again, but the process of doing so feels authentic, heartfelt and utterly relatable. It is also to Chan's credit that the film never loses its cinematic quality despite being largely a chamber piece, with Meteor Cheung's dexterous camera work ensuring that the movie feels intimate yet expansive at the same time. And then there is the ensemble cast, whose chemistry enlivens the material and makes it a lot more than the sum of its parts; in particular, (Dayo) Wong and Tang shine as ex-lovers who have to decide how to move forward not just for their sakes but also for the sake of those they care about.

We'd even go so far as to say that 'Table' is one of the best family dramas we've seen in a while, and with 'Chilli', even more reason to have faith once again in Hong Kong cinema. Kudos to Chan for not falling back on genre tropes for a Chinese New Year movie, choosing instead to pen quite possibly one of his best films to deliver an amusing, affecting and absorbing portrait of what it means to stay together as family. So even though it is now repackaged as a Mid-Autumn Festival release, 'Table' loses none of its joys or poignancy, and amidst a resurgence of Hong Kong cinema, may very well be the best of a very good lot.

This is one of those family films that seems to resonate more at Christmas - a time when we all tend to get together and then, shortly afterwards, wish perhaps that we hadn't! This reunion is predictably doomed to failure when "Bernard" (Louis Cheung) introduces his new girlfriend to his two brothers. Snag is - she "Monica" (Stephy Tang) used to date the elder one "Steve" (Chi-Wah Wong). Awkward! Luckily, he has recently met super-chef "Josephine" (Ivana Wong) and so manages to get her to play along as his new, long-term girlfriend. All of this is being egged on by the mischievous "Lung" (Charm Man Chan) who is the only one with a real girlfriend - "Meow" (Min Chen Lin)! As their large apartment starts to become home to new faces, chaos and misunderstandings ensue and the poor lads are soon very much out of their depth. It has an element of quickly paced, verbal, slap-stick to it, and though the joke does begin to wear a bit thin after the hour mark, the characters are engaging and their suffering is actually fairly entertaining (and plausible) as we head towards the conclusion that we just know might not end well for anyone! There is also quite a fun contribution from Fish Liew as the elderly mother whose pithy and observational one-liners frequently raise a smile. It's too long, but it's still good fun.

Hong Kong has become one of the most depressed cosmopolitan cities because of political environment, unaffordable housing, and many other reasons. To be honest I really can't think of how long I haven't watched an even above-average comedy in the cinema. Most of the films in Hong Kong in the past years are either serious and depressing local films, or crime films. They may be good or bad, but sometimes, in a city like this, I want to escape from having a laugh at a comedy film. I do think Hong Kong people are so unhappy that we can't make a good comedy again like we were in 90s. Luckily, in 2022 we have Table For Six.

The script is one of the best in Hong Kong history. The dialogues brought out a very Hong Kong style but unique jokes that play Cantonese so well. The scenes are smooth and you won't find some awkward and embarrassing moments like other Hong Kong badly produced comedy film. It's a non-stoppable laughing experience for me.

And there are some touching moments and brought messages talking about the importance of families to the audiences. I guess director may want to imply the migration issues happening in Hong Kong as well. It is a comedy, the touching scenes mix with the hilarious moments, but also let you ponder.

This is not the black humor masterpiece like Parasite, that Hong Kong people can be so proudly to have an academic award, but Hong Kong people should be glad that this is an almost pure comedy, and very local one, that let you enjoy your 2 hours in a cinema, and we have long lost for. At least I enjoy this film so much. We may never have a Stephen Chow again, but we can have more unique comedies like Table For Six, to let us take a breathe from the pressure.

Table For Six is a heart-warming comedy that has its finger firmly placed on Hong Kong's pulse, delivering many laughs and tugging the heartstrings. Writer-director Sunny Chan's precise direction of its play-like set pieces and the chemistry of the ensemble cast make Table For Six a charming crowd-pleaser and easily standup comedian Dayo Wong's best film to date.

Three half-brothers Steve, Bernard, and Lung Chan live together in a renovated industrial flat left by their deceased parents, previously used for their barbecued pork catering business. Steve, upholding the family tradition of hosting family dinners, hires Lung's girlfriend, Josephine, to move in and cook dinner daily for Bernard and Lung.

The family foundations are threatened when during one of the dinner parties, Bernard reveals he's been dating Monica, Steve's ex-girlfriend. Steve starts dating popular social media influencer Meow and invites her to the family dinners. Meanwhile, Lung and his girlfriend Josephine argue about his poor financial situation as a career esports player with no sponsors.

Writer-director Sunny Chan is precise with the comedy, uses a variety of gags, and does a great job balancing humor with the family drama.

There's a crucial plot point that hinges on a wordplay gag on Whatsapp that's done in a refreshingly clever way. Wordplay in Hong Kong comedies has been plagued by the "oh look, the actor swore, therefore ha-ha" trend that Pang Ho Cheung popularized and later beaten to the ground.

Throughout his career, Dayo Wong has struggled to balance his standup comic persona and character acting in his films. In Table For Six, it seems like he's struck that balance. Wong inhabits this lead part with a natural confidence, approaching the part dramatically first and letting his comedic sensibilities come second. I hope he will get recognized come awards season.

The cast shares genuine comedic chemistry. Ivana Wong, Louis Cheung, and Peter Chan are funny. Stephy Tang surprised me in one particular scene concerning a video where she completely stepped out of her pop idol comfort zone. Lin Min-Chen steals the show as Meow, breathing fun youthful energy and keeping things light.

The actors rehearsed the entire script before the shoot and the difference truly shows. Speaking of my own people, Hong Kong audiences are a tough crowd to make laugh out loud and there was a lot of laughter erupting in my theater.

Hopefully, Table For Six will set a new precedent for how Hong Kong comedies are produced. Perhaps we can bid farewell to the half-hearted Lunar Year comedies of the last decade with stars just messing about.

Hong Kong cinema has been identity searching for the last decade, mostly through recreating the 90s' glory days. 2022 has been a great year for Hong Kong cinema, beginning with Chilli Laugh Story, then Septet, Warriors of Future, Table For Six, Mama's Affair, and The Sparring Partner. The lineup of these six films marks the beginning of possibly a new era for Hong Kong cinema. These films tell stories that live in the now-as in 2022, not 1995.

Table For Six connecting so deeply with the local audience was a beautiful thing to have been part of. This film was released on 7th September 2020 and as of the date of this review being posted, 22nd January 2022, the film is still in theaters and an onstage theatrical production is coming in mid-February.

I doubt it will connect with an international English-speaking audience since dialogue-driven comedies are always regional by nature. That's okay. Everybody I know in Hong Kong, my family, friends, and colleagues, have all seen it. It is easily part of the Hong Kong zeitgeist in 2022.

When I sat down to watch the 2022 Hong Kong romantic comedy "Faan Hei Gong Sum" (aka "Table For Six") here in 2023, I had never actually heard about it. But stumbling upon it by random chance, and seeing it was a Hong Kong movie that I hadn't already seen, then I needed no further persuasion.

Writer and director Sunny Chan put together a script and storyline for the movie that definitely proved to be entertaining and enjoyable for me. However, it should be noted that I doubt that it is a movie that will find a wider appeal with the general audience, as the storyline is somewhat of an acquired taste. Nonetheless, I was entertained by the story and the characters that Sunny Chan had concocted for this movie.

And it really helped to bring the movie to life that it was a group of talented actors and actresses that starred in the movie. Of the entire cast, then I was only familiar with Chi-Wah Wong and Ivana Wong.

"Faan Hei Gong Sum" is more of a family drama that is laced with some light comedy and some romantic elements. The storyline was centered around three brothers and also their respective romantic affairs. It is a movie that is driven not only by a good script and story, but most certainly also driven by a selection of well-written and interesting characters.

If you enjoy Hong Kong cinema then give writer and director Sunny Chan's 2022 movie "Faan Hei Gong Sum" a chance. I found it to be enjoyable and an interesting and fresh approach to the romantic comedy genre.

My rating of "Faan Hei Gong Sum" lands on a seven out of ten stars.