Comrades, Almost a Love Story

The story unfolds during Hong Kong's late-1980s boom and the ensuing economic shocks of 1987. It tracks years of longing, ambition, and personal recalibration as wealth and opportunity lure the characters. The narrative culminates in a post-crash era when the protagonists migrate illegally to the United States, and eventually reconnect years later around the death of Teresa Teng in 1995.

The film follows two mainland Chinese migrants who relocate to Hong Kong, serving as the primary backdrop for love and aspiration amid a crowded, fast-paced city. It also moves beyond Hong Kong to the United States as the couple seeks a fresh start, capturing the global migratory arc of the characters. Guangzhou and northern China roots contrast with the cosmopolitan Hong Kong streets, shaping their identities and choices. The era’s cityscapes—crush of crowds, markets, and neon—mirror the characters’ hopes and struggles.

❤️ Romance

Two migrants’ romance blooms in a metropolis that tests endurance and practicality. Their love navigates loneliness, ambition, and the lure of money, exposing how affection can both sustain and complicate life in a sprawling city.

🗺️ Migration

The journey from mainland origins to Hong Kong—and later to the United States—drives identity, belonging, and the cost of chasing opportunity. The city becomes a character in itself, shaping choices and exposing cultural tensions between old loyalties and new freedoms.

💼 Ambition

Ambition propels Li Qiao toward wealth and entrepreneurship, while Li Xiao-Jun seeks stability and a future with his fiancée. The 1987 crash acts as a catalyst, forcing moral compromises and redefining loyalties as personal dreams collide with harsh realities.