In Once in a Blue Moon, writer-director Andy Lo Yiu-fai delivers a poignant follow-up to his 2016 film Happiness. Set during the Covid-19 pandemic, the film focuses on the everyday struggles of two siblings in a single-parent household in Hong Kong, navigating the challenges of working-class life, strained relationships, and unresolved family secrets. Lo’s character-driven drama is introspective and tender, preferring quiet emotional moments over major dramatic conflicts.
The story opens with an old family photograph, as the protagonist Mei-chen (played by Gladys Li Ching-kwan in a deeply nuanced performance) narrates that it is the only time she appeared in a picture with her estranged father. Having left when she was an infant, her father’s absence has left Mei-chen with a lifelong sense of regret over not knowing him. Despite this lingering void, she must face more immediate problems in her present life.
In her romantic life, Mei-chen is new to dating, encouraged by her cheerful cousin (Amy Tang Lai-ying) to try a dating app. However, her first experience leaves her feeling more confused than fulfilled, as a clumsy encounter at a love motel leads to unanswered texts and doubts about her romantic future. Adding to her stress is her job at a convenience store, where her toxic, predatory boss (Kyle Wong Kai-ho) embodies the worst of workplace harassment.
Meanwhile, Mei-chen’s brother, Floyd (Peter Chan Charm-man), is going through his own personal crisis. His marriage to Wing (Li Sum-ling) is falling apart, and she is already involved with someone else. Floyd retreats to his industrial unit where he runs an aquarium business, but his solitude is constantly interrupted by his neighbor (Yeung Wai-lun), whose humor and fresh perspectives offer some relief to Floyd’s misery.
At the center of the siblings’ lives is their mother (Loletta Lee Lai-chun), a loving yet remorseful figure who may have been responsible for the family’s fragmentation. The siblings, growing up without a strong moral compass, are portrayed as underachievers struggling to find their way in life. Yet their journey is what makes Once in a Blue Moon so heartwarming. The film’s balance of sadness and hope offers a relatable, moving portrayal of adulthood in all its complexities.
Lo’s gentle approach allows the characters to evolve naturally. He refrains from passing judgment on his protagonists, instead offering a compassionate portrayal of their ups and downs, making Once in a Blue Moon an engaging and deeply emotional reflection on life’s struggles.
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