Isabella
A suspended Macau police officer is forced to confront adulthood when the daughter he never knew appears in his chaotic bachelor life.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- wistful
- intimate
- melancholic
- quiet evening
- reflective weekend
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Suspended police officer Shing must suddenly assume responsibility for Yan, the daughter he never knew existed.
The story unfolds on the eve of Macau's transfer to Chinese sovereignty, framing Shing's personal crisis against collective uncertainty.
Shing and Yan roam through Macau while searching for her missing puppy and gradually learning to live together.
Shing's failed bachelor routine, Yan's confrontations, and the surrounding relationship tensions mix humor with loneliness and vulnerability.
Films like Isabella, and why
After the Storm
shared bittersweet family drama, unexpected parent-child bond, and urban Asian setting
Like Father, Like Son
shared intimate father-daughter relationship, emotional restraint, and contemporary East Asian drama
The Kid with a Bike
shared offbeat parent-child connection, melancholy humor, and unconventional family dynamics
Movie Details
- Director
- Edmond Pang Ho-Cheung
- Release Date
- 2006-04-06
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (33)
Cast
- Isabella Leong Lok-Sze
- Chapman To Man-Chat
- JJ Jia
- Derek Tsang Kwok-Cheung
- Jim Chim Sui-Man
- Anthony Wong Chau-Sang
- Steven Cheung Chi-Hang
- Yue Man-lok
- Josie Ho
- Vincent Wan Yeung-Ming
Common questions
- What is Isabella about?
- A suspended Macau police officer is forced to confront adulthood when the daughter he never knew appears in his chaotic bachelor life.
- What is Isabella like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Isabella as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Isabella violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Isabella.
- Which films are like Isabella?
- Films with a similar feel include After the Storm, Like Father, Like Son, and The Kid with a Bike.
- How long is Isabella?
- Isabella runs 109 minutes.
