‘Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong’ Ending Explained: Do Josh and Ruby End up Together?

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Welcome to the Ending Explained for ‘Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong’, a romantic film written and directed by Emily Ting and starring Jamie Chung and Bryan Greenberg. The film is an independent production set in the fabulous city of Hong Kong, where we will spend two nights following the characters of Ruby and Josh as they get to know each other and readjust their lives once they realize that they could be the person each of them has been looking for each other.

‘Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong’ is one of those films that places its characters in a conversation from which they cannot escape. The film pulls heavily from films like Linklater’s Midnight Trilogy and tries to do the first two trilogy films into one. Its success is thanks to a solid script and the great chemistry between the actors.

Jamie Chung proves she is a really good actor who deserves more acknowledgment. While Greenberg has enough charm to meet Chung on an acting level. The fact that these two actors are a couple in real life only enhances the relationship in the movie.

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The following paragraphs contain spoilers for ‘Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong’. Read at your own risk.

How did Josh and Ruby meet?

‘Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong’ is a film about the characters more than anything else. As such, the movie places a lot of weight on the dialogue and the flow of the two conversations we witness throughout the entire film.

Because of it, it could be said that nothing really happens in the film, at least not shocking or unexpected things. In fact, most of the movie is spent getting to know the characters, and the revelations we learn from each of them make them feel more real; like people you have met before or even yourself experiencing the same as them.

The film begins by presenting Josh, an American expat living in Hong Kong. The first time we see him, we meet him outside a restaurant. There, she lights a cigarette, and we see that he is not having a good time. Whatever happens inside the restaurant makes him go outside and spend some time alone.

At the same time, we meet Ruby for the first time. We see her trying to talk to someone over the phone, but she loses her reception and is left talking alone over the phone. Ruby is beautiful, and Josh cannot help but pay attention to her. It is here that he initiates a conversation that will change his life.

Josh introduces himself and asks if Ruby needs help. She does, she is Asian, but she is not from Hong Kong, so she needs directions to go to another stop to meet some friends. Josh has nothing better to do, so he offers his services as a guide. Ruby is unsure at first, but later, she accepts.

Josh goes on an impulse and leaves his friends in the restaurant to guide Ruby to meet her friends. On the way, they start talking about life. We learn that Josh is a banker working for a big bank in Hong Kong, while Ruby is a toy designer. They all ended up working on things they never expected.

We also learn that Josh loves to write, and he is writing a novel inspired by his experiences as a foreigner living in Hong Kong. The chemistry between them is evident, and they both feel lit. When they arrive at the place Ruby is supposed to meet her friends, she decides she wants to spend more time alone with Josh. So, they go to another place to have a drink.

They talk some more, and then Josh reveals he has a girlfriend and that the people at the restaurant are celebrating her birthday. Ruby is baffled, and her crush on Josh is destroyed. She leaves, and they will probably never see each other again.

Do Josh And Ruby End Up Together?

The first act of the film sets up a couple of things. First, Josh has lived in Hong Kong for over a decade and loves the place. He also wishes he could write and stop working as a banker. Ruby suggests that he should do it, take some time off and write, and nothing more. Ruby is also set up as someone who follows the flow. She never intended to be a toy designer and dreams of having her own fashion boutique. Our main character wishes for something but is doing something else.

A year later, Josh and Ruby meet once again on a boat. Ruby clearly smites Josh, and this time he won’t let her go. He asks for a drink, and she accepts. They basically start having a second magical night all over again. Many people are lucky if they end up having one magical night, but two? That seems like a sign.

They go around visiting different places, including a fortune-teller. Here we learn that Josh is still with his old girlfriend, Samantha, and Ruby is also dating someone else. We learn that Josh was engaged in the States a long time ago, but it never went anywhere.

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Josh sees that the evening is ending, but no one wants it to end. He invites Ruby to another spot to see a band that includes some of Josh’s friends. Ruby accepts, and at that place, they dance together very closely. It is clear to both of them that they are in love. However, a friend of Samantha interrupts them and brings them back to Earth. Ruby wonders what they are doing. They act as if they are dating when they are in relationships with other people. They leave in a cab, and the tension is palpable.

The movie ends as they have one last conversation while riding the cab. Ruby reveals she is engaged to her boyfriend Dan, and he is coming to Hong Kong very soon to help her pack return to America. However, now, she doesn’t know what she wants. Josh suggests that this night is a sign that they should look at their lives and reevaluate their relationships.

They don’t want to hurt Dan and Samantha, but they are also clearly not in love with them; they are in love with each other. The cab driver asks them if they have one last stop, and the movie ends before Ruby can answer.

However, the movie’s last shot heavily implies that Josh is on board with going somewhere else with Ruby, which would mean starting a proper relationship with her. The same with Ruby, who doubts before turning to the cab.

We don’t know what she says, but she would have just said it if it were a no. We need to create our own ending in our minds, but the canon probably has the two of them leaving their current partners and starting something new together.

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