The Way We Are

The Way We Are

Year: 2008

Runtime: 91 mins

Language: Cantonese

Director: Ann Hui

Drama

Cheung, a single mother living in an area with high crime rates, works hard to provide for her son while helping out her elderly neighbor.

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Timeline & Setting – The Way We Are (2008)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Way We Are (2008). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Summer holiday

The action unfolds during the summer break when Leung awaits HKCEE results. It captures the pace of a city summer: long days, errands, hospital visits, and family gatherings. The period is contemporary, focusing on education, work, and family obligations rather than dramatic historical events.

Location

Tin Shui Wai New Town, Shatin, Hong Kong

The film is set in Tin Shui Wai New Town, a densely populated residential area in the Hong Kong suburbs. The local supermarket and apartment blocks frame everyday life for a working-class family. Scenes also move to Shatin for family visits and errands, highlighting a network of nearby communities. The setting emphasizes the intimate rhythms of urban life in Hong Kong.

🏙️ Urban Hong Kong 🏘️ Public housing 🛒 Local markets

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:45

Main Characters – The Way We Are (2008)

Meet the key characters of The Way We Are (2008), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Leung Ka-on

A Form 5 student waiting for HKCEE results, Leung is practical, thoughtful, and increasingly aware of family responsibilities. He helps his mother and is drawn into the extended family’s concerns, balancing ambition with loyalty. His conversations with his teacher and relatives guide his decisions about school and his future.

🎯 Student 🧭 Ambition 👪 Family

Mrs. Cheung

A neighbor who befriends Paw at the supermarket and shares in the everyday struggles of urban life. She expresses gratitude through a gift of expensive mushrooms and plays a small but meaningful role in supporting Paw’s family. Her relationship with the main characters underlines mutual aid within the community.

🤝 Neighborly kindness 🧺 Generosity 👪 Family

Ms. Tsui

Ms. Tsui is a school teacher who invites Leung to help as a student counsellor when he returns for Form 6. She recognizes leadership and empathy in him and provides guidance about balancing studies with personal challenges. Her presence ties education to the protagonists’ growth.

👩‍🏫 Teacher 📚 Guidance 🌱 Growth

Uncle Chuen

Uncle Chuen is a supportive relative who, with his brother, promises to back Leung's overseas study plans if he pursues further education. His reassurance and willingness to invest in the future highlight family solidarity across generations. He represents the extended family’s avenue of stability.

👨‍👦 Family support 💸 Future planning 🏫 Education

Granny Leung Foon

Grandmother Leung Foon embodies tradition and care, sometimes imposing old-fashioned routines (like swallow's nest congee). She provides a sense of continuity and affection across generations and offers moments of wisdom within the family dynamics.

👵 Grandparent 🧭 Tradition ❤️ Care

Chan Lai-wun

Chan Lai-wun is the neighbor who becomes a catalyst for Paw’s actions, buying a television and enabling the exchange of favors in the neighborhood. Her interactions with Paw form a bridge between different generations and social circles.

🛍️ Customer 🧩 Social connector 🧡 Kindness

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:45

Major Themes – The Way We Are (2008)

Explore the central themes of The Way We Are (2008), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

👪 Family

The story centers on a mother-son relationship and the wider family network. Paw's dedication to supporting her son and his brothers anchors the narrative, while the elderly grandmother and Chan's extended family reveal the strain and warmth of kinship. Small acts of care—carrying a television, sharing meals, or visiting a hospital—show how love sustains a family in tough times. The film uses these bonds to explore responsibility, gratitude, and intergenerational loyalty.

🤝 Community

Neighbors and friends step in to help each other, illustrating a close-knit urban community. Paw's generosity toward Chan and Chan's later gifts back her with mushrooms, symbolizing reciprocal care. The hospital visits, supermarket encounters, and shared meals reveal the everyday generosity that keeps families afloat. The film portrays a social fabric where people rely on each other beyond blood ties.

🎓 Education

Education frames the main conflict and hope: Leung's HKCEE results determine his path to Form 6 and beyond. A teacher invites him to contribute as a student counsellor, recognizing his potential and responsibility. Family financial support and uncles' promises to fund overseas study underscore the tension between desire and means. The theme emphasizes resilience, planning, and the role of education in shaping futures.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:45

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The Way We Are Summary

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The Way We Are Summary

The Way We Are Timeline

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The Way We Are Spoiler-Free Summary

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The Way We Are Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Way We Are

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The Way We Are (2008) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

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