Days of Being Wild

Days of Being Wild

Year: 1990

Runtime: 94 mins

Language: Cantonese

Director: Wong Kar-wai

DramaRomanceCrimeMoving relationship storiesCaptivating relationships and charming romance

Yuddy, a Hong Kong playboy known for breaking girls’ hearts, tries to find solace and the truth after discovering the woman who raised him isn’t his mother.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Days of Being Wild (1990)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Days of Being Wild (1990). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1960s

The story unfolds in 1960s Hong Kong, a period of rapid urban growth and cultural mixing. Neon-lit streets, crowded trains, and a tense social atmosphere frame the characters’ romantic entanglements. The era's mobility and modernizing cityscape amplify themes of desire, escape, and the search for belonging.

Location

Hong Kong, Philippines, Macau

Set against the bustling streets of 1960s Hong Kong, the film follows characters moving between neon-lit nightlife and intimate domestic spaces. The journey also takes the story to the Philippines, where Yuddy searches for his birth mother. The reference to Macau grounds Li-zhen's sense of home and nostalgia, underlining the cross-regional currents of identity and longing.

🏙️ Urban Hong Kong 🌍 Southeast Asia 🗺️ Macau/Philippines

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:34

Main Characters – Days of Being Wild (1990)

Meet the key characters of Days of Being Wild (1990), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Tide (Andy Lau)

A dedicated policeman who dreams of becoming a sailor to take care of his ailing mother. He offers Li-zhen a steady, if distant, emotional anchor and ultimately leaves Hong Kong after his mother dies, seeking a freer life at sea.

🚓 Police 💖 Compassion 🧭 Loyalty

Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung)

A heartbroken woman who seeks connection and stability, only to be swept up in a cycle of casual romances. Her memories of Yuddy and longing for home in Macau shape her choices and vulnerability.

💔 Romance 🧭 Identity 🏠 Homesickness

Yuddy (Leslie Cheung)

A smooth-talking playboy who shuns serious commitment, lingering between charm and danger. His search for his birth mother propels his exit from Mimi and his fateful confrontation with the world.

💫 Charisma 🌀 Recklessness 🚶 Freedom

Zeb (Jacky Cheung)

Yuddy's loyal but unrequited friend who finances Mimi's journey by selling Yuddy's car. He remains on the sidelines of the romantic drama, while his own hopes are strained by the pursuit.

💔 Friendship 🗝️ Loyalty

Mimi

A vivacious cabaret dancer whose pursuit of Yuddy begins as a glamorous romance and ends in heartbreak as she follows him to the Philippines. Her determination highlights the vulnerabilities behind a glitzy surface.

💃 Glamour 💔 Heartbreak 🚶 Pursuit

Rebecca (Rebecca Pan)

Yuddy's adoptive mother, a former prostitute who refuses to reveal his birth mother's identity. Her guarded past and control over Yuddy's life shape the dependence and tension at the center of their relationship.

👩‍👧‍👦 Family 🕊️ Secrets

Rebecca's Lover (Danilo Antunes)

A minor figure whose presence underscores the web of relationships surrounding Yuddy and Mimi. His role amplifies the theme of desire entangled with risk and social stakes.

💘 Affair 🔗 Connections

Tita Muñoz (Yuddy's Mother)

Yuddy's elusive birth mother who refuses to see him, representing the unresolved origin that haunts him throughout his life.

🕊️ Motherhood ❓ Secrets

Leung Fung-ying (Carina Lau)

A supporting figure whose presence adds to the layered social world of the story, illustrating the web of identities and loyalties within the era's cosmopolitan circles.

🎭 Society 🕊️ Intrigue

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:34

Major Themes – Days of Being Wild (1990)

Explore the central themes of Days of Being Wild (1990), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💔 Love and Longing

The film centers on fragile, often unfulfilled attachments. Yuddy's charm draws Li-zhen in before he withdraws, leaving her open to new, fleeting connections. Mimi's pursuit of love mirrors the fragility of desire in a city that never seems to settle.

🧭 Identity & Origin

Yuddy's quest to discover his birth mother drives much of the plot, revealing how origin shapes sense of self. Rebecca's refusal to disclose the truth compounds the characters' uncertainty. The search for roots is mirrored by Li-zhen's longing to belong elsewhere, including Macau.

⏳ Memory & Time

Memories anchor the characters' choices, especially the remembered moment of courtship. The film repeatedly hints that what is seen in the moment may be different from what lies beneath. Time tests loyalties and exposes the consequences of past decisions.

🎭 Performance vs Reality

Glamour and personas mask vulnerability, with characters playing roles in society. Love and aspiration collide with harsh reality, revealing the cost of living behind a smile. The film questions whether desire can survive in a world built on appearances.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:34

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Days of Being Wild Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Days of Being Wild, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Days of Being Wild Summary

Days of Being Wild Timeline

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Days of Being Wild Timeline

More About Days of Being Wild

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