A Simple Life

A Simple Life follows Chung Chun-Tao, known as Ah Tao, who entered the household of the Leung family in Hong Kong as a young girl and stayed for six decades, cooking and keeping house through several generations. Most of the family has since emigrated, leaving only Roger, a film producer who has never married and still depends on her care. When Ah Tao suffers a stroke, Roger rushes her to hospital, and once she recovers she tells him she intends to give up her job and move into a home for the elderly. Roger tries to change her mind, then searches for a suitable place and finds her a room at a facility run by an acquaintance, beginning a shift in their long relationship as he starts looking after her.

Ann Hui directed the film, which she also produced with Roger Lee and Jessica Chan Pui-Wah; Susan Chan Suk-Yin and Roger Lee wrote the screenplay. It came in 2012, three decades after Boat People and between July Rhapsody and Septet: The Story of Hong Kong in Hui's filmography. Andy Lau plays Roger and Deanie Ip plays Ah Tao, with Qin Hailu, Wang Fuli, Paul Chun and Leung Tin in support, among a credited cast of seventy-three.

The film earned 7.5 out of 10 on IMDb from around 6,700 votes and the same score on TMDB from roughly 190 votes. Its worldwide box office of about 5 million USD fell well short of its reported 30 million USD budget.