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James Marsh

3.5/5 stars
Earlier this year, Lan Hongchun’s historical romance Dear You became a surprise smash hit at the box office – both in Hong Kong and especially in mainland China, where it has taken nearly US$300 million since April.
One key to the film’s success was its use of regional Teochew (Chiu Chow) dialogue, indigenous to eastern Guangdong and all too rarely featured on screen.
In a clear attempt to capitalise on that popularity, Lan’s earlier feature, Back to Love, makes a belated arrival in cinemas. Also playing out mostly in Teochew and featuring several of the same non-professional actors who went on to star in Dear You, this 2022 film is a more straightforward contemporary romance, but every bit as enchanting as its follow-up.


Echoing the premise of Stanley Kramer’s 1967 drama Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Back to Love follows Zekai (Zheng Runqi, one of the stars of Dear You), a Teochew man working in Shenzhen, as he returns home to Chaoshan to introduce his family to his fiancée, Jingshan (Lu Shan).
Despite being together for two years, the couple are nervous about how Zekai’s mother, Xian (Zhong Shaoxian in a barnstorming performance), will respond to the news. This is not only because Jingshan is an outsider who cannot speak the Teochew dialect, but also because she has an undisclosed “situation” that must be addressed before the marriage can proceed.
What unfolds is part travelogue, part fish-out-of-water comedy and part domestic drama, as the outspoken battleaxe Xian reels at the notion of her elder son marrying outside their ethnic group, fearing it will cause their traditional way of life to disappear.
As Zekai shows off his provincial home, Jingshan’s unwavering desire to assimilate begins to crack Xian’s impenetrable exterior. This progress halts when Jingshan’s secret is revealed, exacerbating an already delicate situation and setting in motion a finale that will force Xian far outside her comfort zone.

It is safe to assume most viewers watching Back to Love will have already seen Dear You; while the ambitions of Lan’s earlier film are more modest, many of the same themes take shape here. Lan deftly balances a celebration of cultural traditions with an acknowledgement of the country’s push towards modernity and unity.
Back to Love works best, however, when it blurs the line between artifice and reality. This is exemplified by Zhong’s imperious, naturalistic matriarch, and peaks at the climax when Xian is forced to take a commercial flight for the very first time.
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Exploring family dynamics and modernity in a heartfelt Teochew romance, Lan Hongchun’s Back to Love charms with its cultural themes


Exploring family dynamics and modernity in a heartfelt Teochew romance, Lan Hongchun’s Back to Love charms with its cultural themes.


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.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Exploring family dynamics and modernity in a heartfelt Teochew romance, Lan Hongchun’s Back to Love charms with its cultural themes

Exploring family dynamics and modernity in a heartfelt Teochew romance, Lan Hongchun’s Back to Love charms with its cultural themes