LUCK MY LIFE (我的人生我自摸) (2026)

Genre: Comedy
Director: Eric Wong
Cast: Richie Koh, Tay Ping Hui, Cynthia Li, Yang Shi Bin, Nick Shen Weijun, Rurusama, Tan Ting Fong, Joey Swee
Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins
Rating: PG13 (Gambling Content and Some Sexual References)
Released By: Golden Village 
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 17 February 2026

Synopsis: Zhuo Tian Cai is born on the mahjong table and has a smooth and lucky life. However, his arrogance costs him dearly and he loses his luck when he disrespects the game of mahjong. He realizes that if he is unable to regain his luck before the leaves of a mysterious money plant withers completely, he will be cursed with bad luck forever. With time running out, Tian Cai embarks on a journey of redemption and self-discovery, guided by his love interest Xin Yi and four enigmatic mahjong masters – Principal Wu, Ji Ge, Cat, Ah Shu – each with their own unique skills and philosophies. Together, they challenge Tian Cai’s beliefs about luck, humility, and respect as his strives to regain his luck by defeating the elusive and legendary mahjong champion Gu Lei. As Singapore’s first mahjong movie, the film celebrates the cultural significance of the game while explore themes of fate, personal growth, and the distinct identity of Nanyang-style mahjong.

Movie Review:

‘Luck My Life’ may refer to its protagonist’s extraordinarily good fortune in life, but offscreen, that describes director Eric Wong’s stroke of luck in casting Ritchie Koh as Zhuo Tian Cai.

Fresh from his Golden Horse–nominated turn in A Good Child, Koh pivots into a lighthearted, festive lead here, and it is his sheer charisma that holds this well-intentioned but structurally basic film together.

From the outset, Koh’s easy charm gives life to Tian Cai – a cocky, unbelievably lucky young man whose wins at the mahjong table are as effortless as his self-confidence. The early scenes play his rascal energy for laughs without making him obnoxious, and the physical comedy — from bird poops to over-the-top misfortunes — lands better when Koh commits to them with full enthusiasm.

Plot-wise, Luck My Life trades bold surprises for broad emotional beats. After Tian Cai casually dominates mahjong (even playing two tables at once), a stern encounter with legendary champion Gu Lei (Tay Ping Hui) suddenly strips him of all luck, prompting a fall from grace and a journey of self-discovery.

In keeping with its intent as comfort food for the Lunar New Year, the narrative is straightforward, and it often feels safe and predictable. It is amusing in parts all right, but you’d wish it had decided to take things a little more madcap. Likewise, you’d also wish that Wong had put in more effort into the titular mahjong matches, which come off less inspired than perfunctory, and hardly seem the stuff of any true-blue mahjong competition.

Still, you cannot fault its simplicity, especially its intent of being simply a warm, accessible story about humility, resilience, and the value of effort over oblivious luck.

The supporting ensemble adds flavour and local colour. Players like Cynthia Li’s Xin Yi, a former schoolmate and Tian Cai’s romantic interest, and cosplayer-actor Rurusama’s feline-inspired Cat, make for congenial additions — though some arcs (like the romance between Tian Cai and Xin Yi) feel more obligatory than inspired.

There are also playful touches that gesture toward something slightly deeper – such as an early animated sequence that tells of the origins of mahjong and hints at the game as a cultural social anchor – but these elements typically remain decorative rather than fully thematic.

What elevates Luck My Life is Koh’s performance. He imbues Tian Cai with an inherent likability — even at his most arrogant — and makes his eventual humility feel earned and touching rather than punitive or didactic. This inner kindness keeps the character’s arc from feeling mean-spirited, and it’s easy to see why reviewers have pointed to Koh as the film’s strongest element.

In the end, Luck My Life may not reinvent the Lunar New Year comedy, but it succeeds at what it aims to be: a feel-good, accessible, and uplifting story, fortified by a likable lead and a playful — if familiar — narrative arc. Its humour doesn’t always hit big, and dramatic stakes remain low, but the film’s sincerity and charm make it a pleasant seasonal outing.

For audiences seeking a light, locally flavoured tale of luck, loss, and what lies in between — with plenty of Mahjong antics to boot — this is a confidently familiar bet that pays off just often enough. 

Movie Rating:

(A predictable but good-natured Lunar New Year comedy where Ritchie Koh’s buoyant performance lifts a familiar tale of luck, loss, and humility)

Reviwed by Gabriel Chong