Lost in the Stars

2023 2h 2m ZH

👍

6.5

SOLID

★6.5TMDB · 115

MysteryCrimeThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

He Fei's wife, Li Muzi, disappears during their anniversary trip. When she reappears, he insists that she is not his wife. As Chen Mai, a top lawyer gets involved in this bizarre case, more mysteries start to emerge.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Zhu Yilong
He Fei
Ni Ni
Chen Mai / Shen Man
Janice Man Wing-San
Li Muzi Impersonator
Du Jiang
Zheng Cheng
Huang Ziqi
Li Muzi
Supattarapong Yangpimai
Police Detective
Liu Er-jin
Hotel Lobby Manager
Krajangphalakorn Chanidapha
Hotel Staff

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Cui Rui
Writers: Yin Yixiong, Gu Shuyi, Chen Sicheng
Languages: Mandarin, English
Countries: China

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Grossed $334M — a 35.2× return. The kind of profit studios chase for a decade.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 3 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Mandarin, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Cui Rui, shot by He Shan. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Hu Xiao'ou. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Tang Hongjia shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Zhu Yilong and Ni Ni and Janice Man Wing-San carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt17507018 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Cui Rui directs. He Shan behind the camera. Hu Xiao'ou scores. Tang Hongjia cuts. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in China. Dialogue in Mandarin, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Grossed $334M — a 35.2× return. The kind of profit studios chase for a decade.
2Released 3 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Mandarin, English.
4Directed by Cui Rui, shot by He Shan. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Hu Xiao'ou. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Tang Hongjia shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Zhu Yilong and Ni Ni and Janice Man Wing-San carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt17507018 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: He Shan
Original score: Hu Xiao'ou
Editing: Tang Hongjia
Stunt coordinator: Hu Lifeng
Runtime: 122 min · 2h 2m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $9,500,000
Box office: $334,039,200
Return: 3516% of budget
Original language: ZH
IMDB: Lost in the Stars (2023)

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2023-08-06
★ 6/10
At the start, this is quite an intriguing drama. "He Fei" (Yilong Zhu) and his wife "Li Muzi" seem to be getting along nicely until she disappears. He is in despair until a woman appears asserting that she is the missing woman - and he is certain that she is not his wife. This lady (Janice Man) is adamant, and when he seeks police assistance she is able to prove her identity with videos, photos and friends who corroborate her story. Is he just losing the plot, or might something more sinister be afoot? Fortunately for our increasingly hapless hero, a local lawyer/investigator "Chen Mai" (Ni Ni) decides that she is going to help him out and the more they dig, the more confusion they discover. To be fair, the plot is anything but simple - it has plenty of twists and turns, but I rather lost interest in him as a character and the plot gradually became a bit too convoluted. There just aren't enough clues for us to follow, we learn at the same rate as them and that left me in limbo for too much of this two hour drama. The ending has a quirkiness to it, but the characterisations are too weak and the story too thin to make it worth the wait. It's a sort of grudge/retribution story - but for way too long I didn't know why or whom by. It is watchable, and the acting is OK, but I doubt I will recall much about this next week.
Alunauwie2025-12-01
★ 7/10
Lost in the Stars transforms a classic comedy into a tense psychological thriller about a man whose missing wife is suddenly replaced by a stranger claiming her identity. The film builds gripping mystery through strong performances and emotional turbulence, though weakened by narrative inconsistencies, visual flaws, and a rushed resolution. Ultimately, it explores the fragile line between love, obsession, and despair as its protagonist spirals through doubt and manipulation. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com) and (English version : uwiepuspita.com)