Like a Marriage – Movie Review & Film Summary

Ka Wing and Chan Yui have been in a long-term relationship for years. They live together and enjoy a quiet, domestic life as a couple. However, they're keeping their relationship a secret from Chan Yui's family. Since his mother is strict and traditional, Chan Yui hasn't told her he's dating another man. She still thinks Ka Wing is just his old roommate.

Chan Yui is friends with Fung Ming, a lesbian who has a girlfriend. Like him, Fung Ming hasn't come out to her family. The two of them devise a scheme and pretend to get married to each other. They use this fake marriage to fool their parents. In reality, they live separately with their same-sex partners. This arrangement works well for both of them. Chan Yui's mom believes her son is actually married to Fung Ming.

Ka Wing knows about the plan. He accepts that his boyfriend is pretending to be married to a woman. Ka Wing lives with Chan Yui in their shared apartment, but he's always on edge. He's paranoid that Chan Yui's mother may show up unannounced and doesn't want to get caught. Even though Chan Yui keeps reassuring him, Ka Wing stays cautious. He takes extra steps to keep up the lie. He even buys women's clothes and places them in the closet, making it appear as though the fake wife lives there too.

After the fake wedding, Chan Yui continues to pretend he's married to Fung Ming. They often meet with his mother and have dinner together. Naturally, Ka Wing is excluded and feels bothered by his partner's absence. In addition, Ka Wing makes a mistake. One day, Chan Yui's mother calls the apartment. Ka Wing answers the phone and speaks honestly, even though she isn't supposed to know he lives there. He manages to avoid getting caught, but the moment rattles Ka Wing. The pressure of keeping this lie is wearing him down.

Like a Marriage is about a fake relationship. A gay man and a lesbian get married to fool their families. I wish society had evolved enough for this concept to feel outdated. Unfortunately, heteronormativity is a powerful force that many can't escape from. Living honestly is difficult in some conservative places, so a lavender marriage may seem like a practical solution for the LGBTQ+ community. Or is it? This movie examines whether the arrangement is effective or merely creates new problems behind closed doors.

Like a Marriage focuses on Ka Wing, the protagonist's boyfriend. He's forced to hide his relationship and erase himself from Chan Yui's public life. The story highlights several poignant experiences as he makes unfair sacrifices for the sake of love. Each heartbreaking moment will lead you to sympathize with him. In a longer movie, I would have liked to expand on the other characters. Let's include the perspectives of both the gay couple and the lesbian couple to create a nuanced narrative. However, this short film must cut back on some subplots due to time constraints. We only get one side of a larger story.

The movie's strength is its emotional impact. The storyteller knows how to tug at our heartstrings with a sympathetic protagonist who suffers quietly. Some scenes can be over-the-top, such as Ka Wing literally hiding inside a closet to avoid a surprise visitor. Other moments are more down-to-earth, like a passive-aggressive conversation where his partner downplays his concerns. These ordinary interactions keep the story believable. Instead of one dramatic event that pushes him over the edge, Ka Wing's pain comes from everyday microaggressions that break his spirit over time.

Despite all the negative experiences, Like a Marriage includes moments of relationship bliss. The bra scene takes a surprisingly lighthearted turn, offering a glimpse of the couple's happiness when they aren't worrying about secrecy. It would be easy to root for Ka Wing to leave if his partner were simply a jerk. Yet, Chan Yui is charming enough to make the conflict feel more complicated. I just wish the film had included even more sweet and romantic interactions. It needs a better balance between pain and affection to justify why Ka Wing wants to preserve his relationship.

I recognize Ka Wing's actor (Jam), who has starred in various Hong Kong gay dramas and short films. This is my favourite role of his. He portrays his character's anguish with quiet restraint and a delicate sensitivity. He never needs to scream or cry hysterically to grab the audience's attention. A simple teary-eyed look is enough to land an emotional punch. His co-star (Bobular) also delivers a natural performance as Chan Yui. He uses a gentler tone and softer expressions around Ka Wing. Yet, he displays his inner turmoil when stressing over his secret relationship.

Like a Marriage has an open-ended conclusion as Ka Wing confronts his partner in the last scene. On the one hand, it's an empowering moment because he finally takes a stand for himself. On the other hand, I'm cynical and don't believe Chan Yui will choose him over his family. My glass is half-empty, so I consider this a sad ending. Regardless of your interpretation, this is a decent way to finish the story. I only wish the movie were longer so that it could develop the characters properly. But overall, Like a Marriage is a well-made short film that gets a thumbs up from me.