Better Days

Every June, almost 10 million Chinese students sit for the National College Entrance Examination, or the "Gaokao". For many, this nine-hour exam is considered the most important deciding factor in a student's future: Success on the Gaokao is what determines acceptance to China's universities, which in turn determines one's future career.

Although Better Days was initially censored by the Chinese government, the decision was later changed and the movie began showing in theaters. It's not hard to see why it enticed controversy in the first place as it portrays the Gaokao as a high pressure environment that fosters bullying, mental illness, and suicide. It opens a window to a world where students study endless hours in cram schools for their chance at a good future. Accountability in bullying cases is a recurring theme that underlies the movie.

But don't get this wrong, this isn't a story about the Gaokao. This is a story about heartbreak. Heartbreak for students who are bullied by their peers. Heartbreak for single parents who put their hopes and dreams on their children. Heartbreak for those who love unconditionally and are willing to sacrifice everything. Dongyu Zhou (Soul Mate, Under the Hawthorn Tree) and Jackson Yee (TFboys) are deft as two halves of a love story while Director Derek Tsang masterfully captures the sheer range of both leads. The cinematography doesn't go unnoticed either as every shot has tremendous depth for those paying close attention.

Of the many lines that stand out in this movie, one that resonates particularly is "If you weren't the bully, then you were being bullied." To me, this is what makes the film so powerful: its ability to pull at your heart over and over again. Go out and see this film. When you leave the theater, reflect on what you saw. Wonder how despite how far we have come, we still have so much left to go.

This movie had me bawling. All the actors nailed their performance especially the two protagonist. They had a beautiful chemistry. Their love was pure and deep. It definitely is one of the best 2019 movie. Our times is my all time favourite asian coming of age movie. And this just became my second favourite.

I was unable to take my eyes off of the screen for the entire movie. A girl is preparing to take her entrance exams in order to enter Beijing University. The competition is fierce and after the suicide of a fellow student, she is bullied by a few extremely vicious classmates. A street thug crosses paths with her and winds up protecting her from her tormentors. A plot twist involving her foes turns this into a top tier crime drama. The two leads are tremendous and by the end of the film I was emotionally drained. This is an example of what movie is meant to be. It should have won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film.

"If this is how the world works, would you bring a child into it?"

Powerful story of bullying, friendship, sacrifice, and the crucible Chinese kids go through in trying to get into the best universities, urged on by the platitudes of adults, so that they can have a better life. Zhou Dongyu and Jackson Yee turn in soulful performances as kids who are vulnerable in different ways, and Zhou Ye is perfectly evil as the main bully. Even with someone looking out for you, who will protect the protector? The film probably goes on a tad too long, but the way parts of the story are revealed and the emotions it plays on keep it riveting throughout.

We often hear about how students in China are among the most hard-working in the world, real go-getters. The underbelly of this is the severe stress under which they operate. Derek Tsang's Academy Award-nominated "Shaonian de ni" ("Better Days" in English). The protagonist is a bullied girl about to take the National College Entrance Exam. She hooks up with a local hoodlum, but surprises remain in store.

The torment from the bullying reflects the pressure from the exam. It's a truly tough world for this girl as various events conspire to close the walls in on her. The complex characters and the general intensity of the plot make this one movie that you have to see. It's the first of Tsang's movies that I've seen, but I certainly hope to see more of them. A real masterpiece.