Better Days

Derek Tsang's Oscar Nominated (Best International Film) is an impassioned look at school bullying. The movie can be unsparing in depiction of the maltreatment, and, at times it seems like life for our teenage heroine Chen Nian (Dongyu Zhou) is nothing but abuse, whether it be physical or psychological. Still, Tsang brings to it a style and a sweep that is emotionally satisfying all the while.

Chen is a smart high school student on the verge of taking the national college entrance boards - think SAT but done on a Super Bowl level*. The pressures are enormous enough without having a nasty gang of Heathers using all kinds of tactics to make her life miserable. Chen strikes up an unlikely relationship with a street hustler named Xiao Bei (Jackson Yee) and he agrees to be her personal bodyguard of sorts.

The scenes with Chen and Xiao give Tsang an opportunity to really show off his visual skills, even if some of it seems cribbed from Wong Kar-Wai (he is hardly the first, of course, look no further than Sofia Coppola). Varqa Beuher's electronic score adds to the propulsive mix. Tsang also employs time jumps and a lot of cross-cutting - not always to the movie's advantage. A third act twist somewhat derails the story into legal thriller territory. Still, there is no denying Tsang's prowess even at its most overwrought. Zhou is in her late 20s, but, her waif-like appearance easily convinces that she is 17, and her performance is extremely affecting. HK teen idol Yee has a good screen presence to add to their screen chemistry.

BETTER DAYS tells a universal story about bullying, but, it has a vision of its own. Tough subject matter, but, a very rewarding one.

* There has been some internet controversy about Jiu Yuexi's source novel that the movie is based on being unduly influenced by a similar Japanese book by author Higashino Keigo. Of course, in Japan, the national exams are perhaps the most famously hellish in the world.

Nominated for best foreign language movie , I was curious to watch as the synopsis sounded interesting.

The story is set in the class sitting their final exam of a college in order to move to university.

Bullying takes a terrible toll and one girl who comes from humble roots is caught up in a series of threats from the bullies Her path crosses a hardened criminal and an unlikely alliance is formed.

A wonderfully written script and direction that give scenes with little dialogue deep resonance and emotion.

Very moving movie which highlights the subject of bullying and those that carry it out and those that observe but do nothing.

Highly recommended.

"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.

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.

Bullying ~ the big menace in school. How it affects the bullied person mentally, emotionally, physically. The role of parenting. Not only giving birth but also becoming the parent. The school, teachers, parents, law, and above all we people; have to stop it. The story telling is good. The sacrifice we make, for the other persons.. Important message given which we dont think is a big issue. We take certain issues less important but actually being much more important. Questions raised on loyality, friends, bullying, parenting and much more. See for the message!