Ray Yeung’s elegant and tender film All Shall Be Well begins with protagonists Angie (Patra Au Ga Man) and Pat (Maggie Li Lin-Lin) existing happily together as an elderly lesbian couple, their bond silent, no unnecessary words spoken between them as they eat, get ready and walk along an autumnal path. They’ve been together for over 30 years and are settled in their daily rhythms. The home they bought together feels cozy and inviting, lit warmly with the soft glow of content love. They’re preparing for their mid-autumn festival dinner, a meal that invites families together to metaphorically break bread, or in this case, yolk-filled mooncakes.
The scene is slight and mellow, with Pat existing as the bridge between Angie, her long-term partner, and the large family that has come to eat curried crab. This soft scene is filled with Pat and Angie’s generosity and love, the blood relations of Pat welcoming Angie as their own, as they have done for most of their lives. The two cannot get married due to Hong Kong’s law on queer marriage, but they have lived together as equal partners in domestication and finances. When Pat dies suddenly, and without a will, the status quo between Angie and Pat’s family is upended. The house that the couple bought together becomes a topic of dispute, and her burial wishes, once spoken out loud within the confines of their relationship, are dismissed in favor of spirituality.
This review was posted on Feb 20th 2024. Full review liked below.
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