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Characters & Themes

Furie (2019) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2019 · 98 min · Vietnamese
Echo score 77
JustWatch #13,327 6
Directed by
Le-Van Kiet
Starring
Thanh Van Ngo, Cat Vy, Hoa Tran, Kim Long Thach, Lê Bình, Pham Anh Khoa

Paul Diallo, a history teacher, enjoys a peaceful life with his wife and son. During the summer, she rents out her house and leaves her son in the care of a babysitter and her friend. Upon their return, the Diallo family finds their house locked – the locks have been changed, and new occupants claim it’s their home. Unable to find help elsewhere, Paul turns to Mickey, a shady local man with a taste for the extreme and illegal. As Paul desperately seeks to reclaim his family's home, he finds himself drawn into a dangerous situation, pushing him towards a point of no return.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (6)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like Furie
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Furie (2019)

Where can you watch Furie? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on AMC+, Philo and Shudder: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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6 main characters · contains spoilers

Furie Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Furie (2019), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Hai Phuong (Thanh Van Ngo)

    Hai Phuong is an ex-gangster who left the underworld after her affair and the disapproval of her father. In the countryside, she works as a debt collector to support Mai. She is a fierce fighter who never stops protecting her daughter, even as her past sends ripples through their lives. Her journey is defined by resilience, a willingness to confront danger, and a longing to repair her family ties.

    • 👩‍👧 Protective mother
    • 🗡️ Ex-gangster
    • 💪 Fierce fighter
    • 🏃‍♀️ Relentless defender
  • Mai

    Mai is Hai Phuong’s daughter, who is bullied for her mother’s past and the burden of her family situation. She desires stability and a normal life, even as she contemplates dropping out of school to help. Her courage grows as she faces danger and seeks safety alongside her mother. Mai represents the vulnerable hope that motivates Hai Phuong to act.

    • 👧 Bullied
    • 💖 Daughter
    • 🧭 Resilient
  • Detective Lương (Captain Vu Trong Luong)

    played by Thanh Nhien Phan

    Detective Lương is the police officer who teams up with Hai Phuong to locate Mai and dismantle the organ-trafficking operation. He provides professional skill, moral support, and a stabilizing presence amid chaos. Their alliance highlights themes of trust, protection, and justice as they pursue the criminals together. He ultimately helps rescue Hai Phuong and supports Mai’s recovery.

    • 🕵️‍♂️ Detective
    • 🛡️ Ally
    • 🚨 Pursuit of justice
  • Trực (Phạm Anh Khoa)

    played by Pham Anh Khoa

    Trực is a dangerous criminal who runs the thugs involved in the missing children case and organ trafficking. He is ruthless and calculating, but his interaction with Hai Phuong reveals a painful loyalty to his mother. He provides critical information about the operation, testing Hai Phuong’s mercy as well as her resolve. He embodies the collision between brutal crime and personal ties.

    • 🗡️ Criminal
    • 🧠 Cunning
    • 👨‍👦 Family ties
  • Thanh Sói

    Thanh Sói is the ruthless boss behind the child organ trafficking operation. She defeats Hai Phuong in their initial clash and commands a squad of henchmen on a train mission. She schemes to switch tracks and split the train to maximize casualties, representing a pinnacle of merciless criminal power. Her downfall comes as Hai Phuong presses forward to end her reign.

    • 🗡️ Villain
    • 🧭 Ruthless
    • 🔥 Power
  • Hai Phuong's Father

    played by Lê Bình

    Hai Phuong’s father disowns her after she becomes entangled with gangsters, marking a deep rift in the family. His rejection fuels her determination to protect Mai and to prove she can change her life. The conflict with him underscores the enduring impact of parental judgment on a child’s path.

    • 💔 Estranged father
    • 🧭 Family conflict

Last updated: February 03, 2026 at 07:26

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Setting

Where and When Does Furie Take Place?

The setting of Furie (2019): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Location

Saigon, Vietnam, Countryside

The story shifts between the bustling markets and streets of Saigon and the quieter countryside where Hai Phuong hides with Mai. Saigon serves as the hub for the criminal underworld the protagonist must confront, while the countryside represents a fragile refuge for a mother trying to lay low. The contrast between these settings highlights the dangers of the city and the vulnerability of a mother-daughter pair on the run.

  • 🏙️ Urban
  • 🌾 Rural

Last updated: February 03, 2026 at 07:26

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3 major themes

Furie Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Furie (2019) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Family

    Hai Phuong’s quest to protect Mai drives every decision, even as her past fractures her relationships with family. The story explores reconciliation, forgiveness, and the enduring bond between a mother and daughter. Hai Phuong also seeks to mend bridges with her brother, illustrating how loyalty to family can override a life of crime. The theme culminates in renewed commitment to Mai’s safety and future.

  • Conflict

    The narrative is rooted in intense confrontations with a violent underworld, pushing Hai Phuong to her physical and moral limits. She fights through waves of henchmen to reach Mai and dismantle the organ-trafficking operation. A key moment tests mercy when she spares Trực because of his mother, balancing vengeance with compassion. The action underscores how violence can be a means to protect, but also a test of character.

  • Redemption

    Hai Phuong’s transformation hinges on choosing a path of redemption over returning to the old life. By confronting her past, she reclaims her agency and rebuilds trust with those she harmed. The outcome suggests that courage and protective love can redeem a fractured life and give Mai a chance at a safer future. The alliance with Detective Lương reinforces the idea that justice can evolve from personal sacrifice.

Last updated: February 03, 2026 at 07:26

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Character & theme questions

Furie Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Furie (2019): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is Furie set?

Furie takes place primarily in Vietnam, with the story shifting between the bustling markets and streets of Saigon and the quieter countryside. Saigon serves as the hub for the criminal underworld, while the countryside provides a fragile refuge for Hai Phuong and Mai as they try to lay low.

  • vietnam setting
  • saigon
  • countryside
  • locations
Q2

What time period is Furie set in?

Furie appears to be set in contemporary modern-day Vietnam. The story does not reference a specific historical era, and the technology, urban environment, and police procedures shown suggest a present-day setting.

  • modern day
  • contemporary
  • time period
  • vietnam
Q3

Who is Hai Phuong in Furie?

Hai Phuong is the protagonist of Furie, an ex-gangster who left the criminal underworld after her affair and her father's disapproval. She now works as a debt collector in the countryside to support her daughter Mai. She is portrayed as a fierce fighter who will do anything to protect her child, even as her past continues to impact their lives.

  • hai phuong
  • protagonist
  • ex-gangster
  • thanh van ngo
Q4

Who is Mai in Furie?

Mai is Hai Phuong's daughter. She faces bullying because of her mother's criminal past and carries the burden of their difficult family situation. Despite her circumstances, she desires stability and a normal life, and her courage grows as she faces danger alongside her mother. She represents the vulnerable hope that motivates Hai Phuong's actions.

  • mai
  • daughter
  • hai phuong's child
Q5

Who is Detective Lương in Furie?

Detective Lương is the police officer who partners with Hai Phuong to locate Mai and dismantle the organ-trafficking operation. He brings professional skills and moral support to the rescue mission, providing a stabilizing presence amid the chaos. His alliance with Hai Phuong highlights themes of trust, protection, and justice.

  • detective luong
  • captain vu trong luong
  • police
  • thanh nhien phan
Q6

Who is Thanh Sói in Furie?

Thanh Sói is the ruthless boss behind the child organ trafficking operation in Furie. She is the main antagonist who defeats Hai Phuong in their initial confrontation and commands a squad of henchmen. She represents the pinnacle of merciless criminal power in the movie's underworld.

  • thanh soi
  • antagonist
  • villain
  • boss
  • organ trafficking
Q7

What is the family theme in Furie?

Family is a central theme in Furie. Hai Phuong's quest to protect Mai drives every decision she makes, even as her past fractures her relationships with family. The story explores reconciliation, forgiveness, and the enduring bond between mother and daughter. Hai Phuong also seeks to mend bridges with her disowned father, showing how loyalty to family can override a life of crime.

  • family
  • mother daughter
  • reconciliation
  • forgiveness
  • father daughter
Q8

What is the redemption theme in Furie?

Redemption is a key theme in Furie. Hai Phuong's transformation hinges on choosing a path of redemption over returning to her old life as a gangster. By confronting her past, she reclaims her agency and rebuilds trust with those she harmed. The movie suggests that courage and protective love can redeem a fractured life and give Mai a chance at a safer future.

  • redemption
  • transformation
  • change
  • past
  • reclaiming life
Q9

What is the conflict theme in Furie?

Conflict drives the narrative of Furie, rooted in intense confrontations with a violent underworld. Hai Phuong fights through waves of henchmen to reach Mai and dismantle the organ-trafficking operation. A key moment tests her mercy when she spares a criminal named Trực because of his mother, balancing vengeance with compassion. The action underscores how violence can be a means to protect but also a test of character.

  • conflict
  • violence
  • underworld
  • fight
  • organ trafficking
Q10

What is the organ trafficking in Furie about?

Furie centers on a child organ trafficking operation run by the criminal underworld in Vietnam. When Mai is kidnapped, Hai Phuong discovers the operation and must fight through the criminal network to rescue her daughter. Detective Lương partners with Hai Phuong to dismantle this operation, which involves dangerous criminals including Thanh Sói and Trực.

  • organ trafficking
  • child abduction
  • criminals
  • kidnapping
  • rescue
Q11

What is Hai Phuong's relationship with her father in Furie?

Hai Phuong's father disowned her after she became entangled with gangsters, creating a deep rift in their family. His rejection fuels her determination to protect Mai and prove she can change her life. The conflict with him underscores the enduring impact of parental judgment on a child's path and drives her journey toward redemption.

  • father
  • family estrangement
  • disowned
  • parental judgment
  • le binh
Q12

Who is Trực in Furie?

Trực is a dangerous criminal who runs the thugs involved in the missing children case and organ trafficking. He is ruthless and calculating, but his interaction with Hai Phuong reveals a painful loyalty to his mother. He provides critical information about the operation, testing Hai Phuong's mercy as she decides whether to spare him. He represents the collision between brutal crime and personal ties.

  • truc
  • criminal
  • thugs
  • pham anh khoa
Q13

How do Saigon and the countryside contrast in Furie?

The contrast between Saigon and the countryside is significant in Furie. Saigon represents the dangerous criminal underworld that Hai Phuong must confront, while the countryside serves as a fragile refuge for a mother-daughter pair on the run. This setting contrast highlights the dangers of the city and the vulnerability of those trying to escape their past.

  • urban
  • rural
  • saigon
  • countryside
  • settings
  • contrast

Movie threads

More Movies Like Furie, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Furie tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Desperate Parent Action Thrillers like Furie

High-octane stories where parents risk everything to save their endangered children. If you liked the high-stakes, emotionally charged rescue mission in Furie, you'll find more movies like it here. These action thrillers feature parents pushed to their limits, combining intense physical conflict with the heavy emotional weight of protecting family.

  • desperate
  • relentless
  • cathartic
  • brutal
  • anxious
  • gritty
  • Tone: tense, desperate, cathartic
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a linear, high-stakes rescue mission. A peaceful family life is violently disrupted, forcing a parent to confront a sinister underworld. The plot is a relentless chase, moving from one dangerous encounter to the next, driven by a clear and urgent goal with a ticking clock.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their potent mix of visceral action and deep emotional stakes. They share a fast pace, high intensity, and a tense tone, all built upon the universally relatable fear of a child in peril, creating a cathartic and gripping experience.

Gritty Underworld Vendettas similar to Furie

Brutal journeys through criminal networks where one wrong move means everything. Explore more movies like Furie that plunge ordinary people into extreme criminal environments. These films share a tense, gritty atmosphere, fast-paced action, and narratives about confronting powerful, organized crime syndicates in a desperate fight for survival.

  • gritty
  • brutal
  • tense
  • relentless
  • desperate
  • crime
  • Tone: tense, gritty, brutal
  • Pacing: fast, propulsive
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a protagonist, often an everyday person, being drawn into a conflict with a powerful and organized criminal element. The journey is a violent odyssey through a hidden world, requiring them to adopt brutal methods to survive and achieve their goal, pushing them to a moral brink.

Why they belong together: These movies are connected by their oppressive, gritty atmosphere and the theme of an individual facing a vast criminal organization. They deliver a consistent vibe of tension and desperation through fast pacing, high-intensity action, and a straightforward, propulsive plot.

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Movies Like Furie

Similar movies to Furie: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

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Every angle

Furie (2019) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Furie in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning, the ending explained and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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