RUNAWAY MILLIONAIRES

New Zealand, 2018, 90 minutes, Colour.
Jess Sayer, George Zhao, Chloe White, Sam Wang, Pip Hall.
Directed by Pip Hall.

This New Zealand film is based on a true story. Kara and Leo, Leo of Chinese background, live in New Zealand, want to build a business at a service station and take out a loan. So far, so ordinary.

However, the bank makes a considerable mistake in its accounting, with $10 million made available. What is the couple to do? The film follows Leo, returning to China, caught up in gambling. Kara is a bit more cautious, getting help from her sister, in contact with her mother. She discovers she is pregnant. And she also gets a job dubbing films. And the strong temptation to keep the money.

The police are investigating, from New Zealand, the local police – and Kara, especially, having to face the truth and the consequences.

The impact of the film relies on audiences identifying if not with the characters, then with the situation, and how they might react were they to suddenly have $10 million at their disposal.

1. Based on a true story? A New Zealand story?

2. The title, the tone, emphasis on money, the consequences, escape, schemes, schemes collapsing?

3. The New Zealand settings, home, family, relatives? The service station? Hopes?

4. The Chinese settings, hotels, cities, homes and apartments, banks, workplaces, the dubbing studio? Airports, police, customs? The musical score?

5. Kara and Leo, life together, the plans for the service station, the issues of the loan? Their love for Lina? Hope for the future?

6. The mistake in the account, the extra $10 million? Leo’s response? The discussions, the cover up, the decision to keep the money? The decision to go outside the country? Leo and the Chinese connections?

7. Leo, the effect of the money, the various transactions, the hiding of the money in different countries? The gambling? The alienation from Kara and Lina?

8. Kara, her decisions, the money, not knowing all the facts, the gambling, keeping the chips for an emergency? With Lina and protecting her? Her continued contacts with her sister and her mother, their knowing something of the truth, their concern? Her depending on them?

9. Accommodation, having to move, Leo and the Chinese connections, hospitality, surviving, moving out? Hiding? Kara and getting the job with the dubbing, the sympathetic manager?

10. The discovery that she was pregnant, keeping secrets, admitting it to the friend at the studio? Leo and his return, concern? The decision for her to go to Hong Kong for a check – and her being caught by customs?

11. The New Zealand police, the visits, the interviews, the promises, the phone contacts, his persuasion?

12. The difficulties with the pregnancy, giving birth? The decision to return home, the preparations, her arrival? Her future?

13. The moral of the story – and Kara at the end wondering whether she would do it all over again or not?