Honey Money Phony is the latest addition to a string of fraud-related films and TV series that have been made in mainland China in recent years. Some of the most notable in this wave of movies include the box office hits No More Bets (2023) and Lost in the Stars (2023), which grossed 3.85 billion yuan (US$530 million) and 3.52 billion yuan (US$490 million) respectively.
Unlike these works, which were both set in an undisclosed Southeast Asian country and tackled the issue of scams in an grim and sombre manner, Honey Money Phony is a much more light-hearted affair based in a fictitious version of Macao (which is referred to as “Ao Gang” in the film)
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Since its release in mainland cinemas on 31 December 2024, the rom-com has achieved commercial success, reaching a respectable box office of 443 million yuan (US$59.73 million) as of 2 February. Read on to find out more about the film and what it has to say about the rise of scams in Macao and elsewhere.
What is Honey Money Phony about?
Honey Money Phony follows the story of Lin Qinglang (Jin Chen), a young woman who finds herself having to work various menial jobs in Macao after falling victim to a romance scam that saddles her with a debt of 200,00 yuan (US$27,455).
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After a chance encounter with conman, Ouyang Hui (Sun Yang), Lin decides to enlist his help to get back at the ex-boyfriend who scammed her. Together, she and Ouyang develop an elaborate plot that also involves her actress friend Dong Xiaohui (Li Xueqin) and Ouyang’s uncle Bai Shitong (Wang Yaoqing).
Which locations in Macao are featured in Honey Money Phony?
One of the pleasures of watching Honey Money Phony as a Macao resident is identifying all the various places in the city where it was shot. Some notable ones include Calçada da Barra, the location of the insurance company where Lin works; the Cotai Strip, where Lin and Ouyang first meet face-to-face; Calçada do Monte, the avenue where Lin lives, and Hotel Central, which houses the travel agency where Lin’s con artist ex-boyfriend works.
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For more details about all the various Macao-based locations where the film was shot, check out the Macao Government Tourism Office’s Weibo page.
Why is Macao called “Ao Gang” in the movie?
Honey Money Phoney is among a growing list of Chinese movies and TV shows that employ fictional names to refer to real locations. Other recent works that use placeholder names include the 2023 Chinese produced sci-fi series The Three Body Problem, which refers to specific countries as Country M and Country T. Similarly, the successful Chinese crime film Sheep Without a Shepherd and its two sequels are all set in an undisclosed Southeast Asian country.
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One major reason for using fictional names is to ensure that a particular work is able to fulfil the requirements of China’s notoriously stringent and opaque media censorship system. As well, the use of a fake name can help to avoid attracting negative publicity for a particular place, especially if the film deals with touchy subject matter such as scams, corruption and murder.
Who are the actors in Honey Money Phony?
Honey Money Phony marks the on-screen reunion of actress Jin Chen and actor Sun Yang, who had previously collaborated in the 2020 TV series, Dear Missy and the 2023 hit scam film No More Bets. Coincidentally, the latter had Jin and Sun playing similar roles as victim and scammer, albeit with a darker tone and a less optimistic outlook for Sun’s character.
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Other supporting players include Chinese comedienne, Li Xueqin, who is better known for appearing in stand-up comedy and variety shows, and Taiwanese actor, Wang Yaoqing, who is best known for his work in various TV dramas.
Who is the director?
The film is also notable for being the debut of director Su Biao, who had previously worked as the screenwriter of comedy films such as Pancake Man (2015), City of Rock (2017) and Post-Truth (2023). Su is a frequent collaborator of the well-known Chinese comedy actor and director, Da Peng, who served as a producer in Honey Money Phony.
Su said in a China Movie News interview that it was his Da who encouraged him to be the director of the movie so “I would be able to maximize my experience.” He added that Honey Money Phony was a breakthrough for him and Da Peng, who are both natives of Northeast China (Dongbei).
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“People might notice [with this movie] that there are some Dongbei elements missing because Dongbei has long been the comfort zone of the producer and me,” Su said. “Our filming locations included Guangzhou and Macao, so it allowed us to leave this comfort zone and…pursue a less localised type of comedy.”
What scams are featured in Honey Money Phony?
While the main catalyst of the story is the romance fraud that Lin falls victim to, Honey Money Phony features a number of other well-known scams. For instance, when Lin first meets Ouyang, he is trying to defraud her through a phone impersonation scam.
Meanwhile Lin’s friend is shown to be adept at pengci (碰瓷, literally “bumping porcelain”), a scam in which the con artist extorts money from a motorist by pretending to be hit by their car.
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The plot that Lin and Ouyang develop is even more elaborate, incorporating everything from telecommunication and impersonation scams to service and romance scams.
What does Honey Money Phony have to say about scams?
Honey Money Phony is first and foremost a comedy film, but it does tackle some very topical issues. For instance, it explores the financial and emotional scars that scams have on their victims through Lin’s backstory and her desire to exact revenge on her ex-boyfriend.
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One particularly poignant scene has Lin sharing a self-taped video of herself on social media warning others not to fall for similar romance scams. However, she later removes this due to the backlash from people criticising her lack of intelligence and maturity for falling victim to such a fraud. As well, the film explores the various reasons behind why scammers do what they do. For instance, Lin’s ex-boyfriend is motivated by personal gain, whereas Ouyang bears the scars of being abandoned by his father.
What’s the film like to watch?
Honey Money Phony is an entertaining farce that tackles the very serious issue of scams in a lighthearted and comedic manner. While the main plot does become overly complex, dragging on for longer than it needs to be, the film is saved by the two leads who have good on-screen chemistry. Some of the gags are also quite amusing, although references to Chinese pop songs and the on-screen cameo of Taiwanese singer Richie Ren may fall flat with an international audience.
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In short, Honey Money Phony won’t win any prizes for its plot or craftsmanship, but you could do worse when it comes to Chinese comedy films. Currently, the film holds a respectable rating of 6.7 out of 10 on Douban, China’s version of IMDB.
The version of the film screening in the mainland and internationally comes with Chinese and English subtitles.
Where can I watch Honey Money Phony?
As of writing, Honey Money Phony is screening in mainland Chinese theatres. There are currently no release dates for Macao, meaning you’ll need to head over to Zhuhai to catch the film.
A Macao release, however, is not out of the question, given that the film has been a box office draw not only domestically, but also internationally in countries such as Malaysia, where it broke the 1 million Ringgit (US$222,919) mark on 27 January following its debut on 9 January.
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As well, the film has also been screened internationally in the US, Australia and UK since early January.
