Happiness
Year: 2016
Runtime: 113 mins
Language: Cantonese
Director: Law Yiu-Fai
Following his mother's death, Chan Kai-yuk travels from Guangzhou to Hong Kong seeking the father who left them. Finding him with a new family who views him as a burden, Yuk becomes homeless and is taken in by Auntie Fen, a reclusive woman living a solitary life. Initially, their clashing personalities and Yuk's self-centeredness lead to conflict. However, Yuk discovers Fen is experiencing early-stage Alzheimer’s, prompting a change in him as he becomes a caring friend, and Fen experiences a rare feeling of connection.
Warning: spoilers below!
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Timeline & Setting – Happiness (2016)
Explore the full timeline and setting of Happiness (2016). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.
Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:01
Main Characters – Happiness (2016)
Meet the key characters of Happiness (2016), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.
Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:01
Major Themes – Happiness (2016)
Explore the central themes of Happiness (2016), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.
Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:01
Explore Movie Threads
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Bittersweet found family movies like Happiness
Unlikely connections bring solace and meaning to lives marked by loneliness and hardship.For viewers who enjoyed the emotional journey in Happiness, this section features movies about unlikely friendships and found family. These dramas share a tender, bittersweet tone, focusing on characters finding connection and purpose while navigating personal struggles like illness or displacement.
Narrative Summary
The narrative typically centers on two or more isolated characters, often from different walks of life, whose paths cross unexpectedly. Initial conflict or indifference gives way to a gradual, heartfelt connection as they care for one another. The plot is character-driven, focusing on small, intimate moments that build a powerful emotional bond, culminating in an ending that acknowledges both the beauty of the connection and the pain of the surrounding realities.
Why These Movies?
Movies in this thread are grouped by their shared focus on the redemptive power of platonic love and caregiving. They consistently blend melancholic and hopeful tones, feature slow, contemplative pacing to develop character relationships, and deliver emotionally resonant conclusions that are uplifting yet realistically tinged with sadness.
Movies about urban loneliness and connection similar to Happiness
Quiet character studies set in cities, exploring isolation and the fragile bridges people build.If you liked the intimate setting and themes of urban displacement in Happiness, explore these character-driven dramas. They share a contemplative mood and slow pacing, depicting solitary lives in the city and the rare, meaningful bonds that form against the odds.
Alice in the Cities
1974
Lost in Translation
2003
Mister Lonely
2008
The Outside Story
2021
Intimacy
2001
Distant
2004
Microhabitat
2017
Lost
2005
Sidewalls
2006
T.R. Baskin
1971
Italian Studies
2022
Old Boyfriends
1979
We Couldn't Become Adults
2021
Starting Out in the Evening
2007
Our Souls at Night
2017
Narrative Summary
These narratives are often straightforward and linear, following a character's internal journey as they navigate an alienating urban environment. The conflict is primarily internal or interpersonal, arising from clashing personalities or circumstances. A significant theme is the contrast between the crowded anonymity of the city and the profound intimacy of a newly formed, fragile relationship, often involving themes of aging, memory, or coping with hardship.
Why These Movies?
These films share a specific mood and setting: a melancholic, intimate feel generated by stories of urban solitude. They are united by a slow, deliberate pacing that allows for deep character immersion, a medium emotional weight that feels genuine without being overwhelming, and a focus on the quiet drama of everyday life and human resilience in a metropolitan context.
Unlock the Full Story of Happiness
Don't stop at just watching — explore Happiness in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Happiness is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Happiness Summary
Read a complete plot summary of Happiness, 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.
Happiness Timeline
Track the full timeline of Happiness with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
