Overheard

Overheard

Year: 2009

Runtime: 100 mins

Language: Cantonese

Directors: Felix Chong Man-Keung, Alan Mak Siu-Fai

DramaThriller

Three members of a police surveillance unit are tasked with probing an investment firm linked to criminal fraud. As the investigation unfolds, the narrative shifts to focus on the officers themselves, who discover they can exploit the privileged information they've collected for personal gain, navigating the web of deception surrounding the operation.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Overheard (2009)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Overheard (2009). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Hong Kong

Hong Kong serves as the bustling backdrop, a global financial hub defined by a dense skyline and busy harbours. The film centers on its high-stakes stock markets, where rapid trades and regulatory oversight collide with criminal schemes. This urban landscape amplifies the tension between opportunity, risk, and moral compromise.

🏙️ City 💹 Finance 🚢 Harbour

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:47

Main Characters – Overheard (2009)

Meet the key characters of Overheard (2009), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Inspector Leung (Sean Lau)

Seasoned CIB inspector, calm and analytical yet morally conflicted. His loyalty to colleagues clashes with a growing sense of guilt as he weighs reporting misconduct against protecting his team.

🕵️ Detective ⚖️ Morality 💔 Affair

Gene Yeung (Louis Koo)

A family man and senior officer who balances risk with personal ambition. He becomes entangled in the scheme, using information to secure his own financial and protective interests.

💼 Ambition 🧠 Intelligence 👨‍👩‍👧 Family

Max Lam (Daniel Wu)

A young, impulsive member of the team who takes dangerous financial risks. His debt and eagerness to prove himself push him toward decisions with grave consequences.

🆕 Rookie 💳 Debt 🎯 Ambition

Mandy Yam (Zhang Jingchu)

Mandy is the wife of Leung’s friend, whose presence introduces personal tensions. Her actions and loyalties become a catalyst for many of the plot’s betrayals.

💖 Love 🕵️ Intrigue

Lee (Alex Fong Chung-Sun)

Leung’s friend who serves as a counterpoint to the unfolding corruption. Their relationship highlights the fragility of trust when professional lines blur.

🤝 Friendship 💼 Rivalry

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:47

Major Themes – Overheard (2009)

Explore the central themes of Overheard (2009), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕵️ Corruption

The narrative exposes how greed and opportunity corrupt both markets and minds. Intercepted communications, manipulated stock moves, and covert deals reveal a systemic erosion of ethics. Characters justify small compromises that snowball into dangerous, untraceable crimes with real human costs.

⚖️ Justice

Justice in the story is a complex pursuit, complicated by personal loyalties and the desire to protect colleagues. Attempts to expose or conceal wrongdoing drive the plot toward a dramatic reckoning. The enforcement world—CIB, ICAC, and regulators—becomes a chessboard where truth fights to emerge from manipulation.

💔 Betrayal

Betrayal threads through professional and personal spheres, from illicit experiments with a friend's wife to the greater betrayal of trust within a team. The characters navigate loyalties that fracture under pressure, leading to devastating choices. Relationships become collateral damage in the pursuit of power and survival.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:47

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Overheard Summary

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Overheard Summary

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Overheard Timeline

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Overheard Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Overheard

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More About Overheard

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