The First Girl I Loved 2021 Movie Review

🎨 A Poignant Coming-of-Age Story of First Love, Growth, and the Harsh Realities that Test Youthful Innocence

🎥 Film Overview

🎬 Title: The First Girl I Loved (Original Title: 喜歡妳是妳)
🌍 Country: 🇭🇰 Hong Kong
🎞️ Genre: Romance / Drama / LGBTQ+
🗓️ Release: 2021
🎬 Director & Screenplay: Yeung Chiu-hoi, Candy Ng

👩‍🎤 Cast: Hedwig Tam – Lee 'Wing' Nam
Renci Yeung – Sylvia Lee Sum Yuet

🧩 Deep Story Analysis (Spoilers)

👭 The Myth of First Love and the Dilemma of Hong Kong Queer Romance

The First Girl I Loved depicts the bittersweet relationship between two girls standing on the fragile line between "best friends" and "first loves." The story follows Wing, who revisits her past with Sylvia as she becomes the bridesmaid at Sylvia’s wedding. Through this framed narrative, the film explores the ambiguity of teenage same-sex affection, societal pressures, and the compromises made in adulthood—painting a layered portrait of queer romance in modern Hong Kong.

🌈 Ambiguous Friendship and Forbidden Love

The film is set in a private Catholic girls' school in Hong Kong, focusing on the “unnamed relationship” that develops between Wing and Sylvia.

• Duality of Emotion: Their bond goes beyond friendship, yet due to the school’s conservative environment, it never fully becomes an openly defined romance. Sylvia confesses her feelings, but Wing initially rejects her—only to continue their emotional intimacy and physical closeness. This ambiguous space between "more than friends, less than lovers" captures the fluidity and intensity of adolescent sexuality and emotional discovery.

• Innocence and Boldness Intertwined: The two girls share daring moments—like kissing in front of the entire school—yet they are afraid to define their relationship. This blend of innocence and recklessness perfectly embodies the dangerous yet radiant beauty of queer first love.

💒 Conservatism and the Dual Faces of Prejudice

The conservative Catholic school becomes the main external force that suppresses the two girls’ relationship.

• Institutional Repression: After being caught kissing on a bus, the school summons their parents, imposing disciplinary action. This scene symbolizes the institutional and societal pressures against same-sex love.

• Unexpected Parental Reactions: Interestingly, both fathers react with a form of misguided tolerance, saying, “Nothing bad can happen between two girls.” This reflects a paradoxical leniency found in conservative societies—where same-sex affection is dismissed as harmless simply because it’s not seen as sexually “serious.”

👰 Compromise, Lost Dreams, and the Mythologizing of First Love

The most tragic aspect of the film lies in Sylvia’s compromise with reality as an adult.

• Compromising with Reality: Unlike Wing, who once fought for love with idealism, Sylvia chooses a conventional heterosexual life. She gives up her dream of becoming a filmmaker and prepares for marriage—reflecting the dilemma faced by many queer individuals who sacrifice authenticity for social comfort.

• The “Promise at 30” and Betrayal: Wing suspects that Sylvia is rushing into marriage to avoid fulfilling their old promise—"If we’re both unmarried by 30, let’s reunite." This moment reveals how youthful romantic vows crumble under the weight of reality, amplifying the tension between nostalgia and disillusionment.

• A Bittersweet Open Ending: During Sylvia’s wedding, the two remain “best friends,” yet the ceremony mirrors their mock wedding from school days, turning nostalgia into quiet tragedy. Their bond—"once lovers, now friends, forever connected"—becomes a mythic monument to first love, eternally suspended between memory and loss.

✨ Debates on the Film’s “Simplified” Approach to Queer Storytelling

The First Girl I Loved received praise for its delicate cinematography and emotional nuance, yet it also sparked criticism regarding its simplified treatment of queer themes.

Some critics argue that the film neutralizes queerness by presenting it as a universal “first love” story rather than directly confronting societal norms and queer struggles. Sylvia’s decision to embrace a heterosexual life is seen as perpetuating an outdated narrative that softens female desire and agency.

However, the directors emphasize that “love is universal” and that the story “just happens to involve two girls.” In this sense, the film stands at the intersection of two truths: it celebrates love as a universal experience while acknowledging the inevitable compromises faced by queer youth in Hong Kong’s social landscape. The result is a bittersweet yet beautiful monument to first love—delicate, painful, and unforgettable.

🎯 Personal Rating & Love Scene Intensity

💕 Love Scene Intensity: ♥
⭐ Rating: ★★★☆