A Heart-Wrenching Masterpiece
Some films leave a fleeting impression, while others carve themselves into your soul, refusing to let go. Better Days (2019) is the latter a cinematic triumph that transcends the boundaries of storytelling and becomes an experience. Without a doubt, this film has cemented itself in my top 10 movies of all time. It is a raw, visceral, and deeply evocative portrayal of youth, trauma, and the desperate yearning for hope in a world that often seems cruel.What struck me most about Better Days was its authenticity. Every emotion, every fleeting smile, every tear-soaked moment felt so painfully real. If you have ever been a teenager, this film will resonate with you on a profoundly personal level. It captures the unspoken frustrations, the quiet battles, and the unrelenting turmoil that come with that phase of life. The cinematography itself enhances this sense of realism close-up shots of the characters’ skin, the exhaustion in their eyes, and the heavy silence between words make you live their experiences, not just witness them.
Zhou Dongyu and Jackson Yee deliver performances that are nothing short of extraordinary. These two don’t just act; they breathe life into their characters. The pain in their eyes, the hesitation in their voices, the unguarded vulnerability these are performances that deserve every award possible, perhaps even an Oscar. There’s an undeniable angstiness that will leave you in pieces, making you bawl your eyes out, yet you won’t be able to look away.
Beyond its emotional depth, Better Days is a harrowing reflection of reality. The film sheds light on bullying one of the most insidious forms of cruelty that exists, especially among the young. Even if one has never faced severe physical abuse, we have all, at some point, felt belittled, outcast, or ridiculed. This film doesn't shy away from showing the brutal consequences of such torment. It makes you question the world we live in, the systems that fail to protect the vulnerable, and the silent struggles countless individuals endure.
While on the surface, Better Days may seem like another enemies-to-lovers trope wrapped in a dark, angst-filled package, it is so much more. It is a rollercoaster of emotions, one that forces you to confront uncomfortable truths. It is thought-provoking, yet somehow, in moments when you least expect it, it makes you smile. It reminds us that even in the bleakest of times, happiness can still find a way to exist, even if only for a fleeting moment.
The ending is nothing short of perfection the kind that lingers in your mind long after the credits roll. The actors seamlessly transition into their adult roles, embodying a maturity that is both palpable and deeply moving. The shift in their demeanor is remarkable; no longer are they controlled by their emotions, but rather, they have gained the strength to control them. The weight of their past does not define them anymore it shapes them into individuals who can finally breathe freely, unshackled from the chains of their former lives. There is an immense sense of relief, a cathartic realization that, at last, they hold their future in their own hands. The freedom to simply exist as themselves is a luxury they have fought for, and now, they finally get to embrace it.
As one wise soul once said, "Sometimes, in this small life, all we humans need is happiness above all." This film embodies that sentiment through pain, through hardship, through tragedy, there remains an undying flicker of hope.
Better Days is not just a movie; it is an experience that will haunt you, move you, and ultimately, change you. If you haven’t seen it yet, prepare yourself for one of the most powerful films of this generation.
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I will NEVER get over the fact that this didn't get the Oscar!
It's been so long since I've cried like that in a movie, I caught myself sobbing during scenes."Better Days" is a punch in the gut, it's heavy, heartbreaking, violent and even gruesome. But it what makes the story beautiful is the leads, it's not that common for me to love the main couple. It's just that their chemistry is so mesmerizing that we don't need a lot of dialog, they can express everything just by looking at each other. I loved everything about this movie and I'm very critical over films, but this one blew my mind.
The photography was amazing.
The directors did an incredible job in making us feel every emotion shown to us. They always captured the right moments in a way that completely fit the style of the movie, the lighting (or lack of it), the angles,etc...
I felt as if they moved the camera in a intimate way, making the movie feel familiar to us. So that we feel close to it, like we're watching it was something personal.
Well I'm just saying that you will not regret giving it a chance.
But seriously, I don't think I'll ever forget how I felt watching it for the 1st time.
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This review may contain spoilers
Freedom at all costs necessary
I found this movie through my Youtube video recommendations and I couldn't wait to begin it. I don't usually like bully-related media, I feel like most times it's riddled with cliches and falls flat, but this movie is not like that. I feel like it tackles the serious subject of bullying extremely well.Better Days examines the socio-political conditions that perpetuate bullying very thoroughly, showing the viewers that bullying is a complicated problem to solve. From the intense competition and pressure the students face due to exams, through the illegal & borderline dangerous work Chen Nian's mother puts herself through in order to provide a better future and escape poverty, to Xiao Bei's life on the fringe of society, many of the characters in this movie are trapped in conditions that become tighter and tighter shackles on them as tensions rise, thus prompting them to take extreme measures to ensure their freedom.
Additionally, Chen Nian & Xiao Bei's tender romance is beautifully written, depicting two people who have nobody else but each other to depend on. Instead of depending on skinship to depict their affection for one another, this movie choses to mostly omit that and instead show their love through the actions and sacrifices they make for one another. I really appreciated this choice and I think it made their chemistry even better.
Finally, I want to highlight the beautiful cinematography of this film. It is filmed in such a way that the scenes naturally flow together, every directing choice feels deliberate to move the plot forward. I loved it so much that I plan to paint a few scenes from this film, that's how beautiful and painterly it was.
In conclusion, this is a beautiful & raw movie that I recommend to anyone. Please watch it, you will not regret it!
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Truly Tragic & Beautiful Story
Just watched this movie after keeping it in my list for a long long time because the theme of this movie was not my kind of genre that I usually watch. However, I always wanted to check out more of Zhou Dongyu's work after watching Us and Them.I am so glad I watched Better Days. I loved the story, acting, the characters and the ending. I bawled my eyes out the entire movie though. It was truly tragic and beautiful at the same time. I'll cherish this story for a long time. It's definitely one of the best movies I've watched till now.
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Cast: I was shocked to find out that XB aka Jackson was so freaking young but he did WONDERFUL! Dong Yu looked so young in this role; perfect choice. Their chemistry is off the charts and they play their character so well. There was never a point in the story where I doubted their roles and countless tears were shed lol.
Cinematography: Freaking beautiful! I loved the suspense during the interrogation and I love how the director made us think that CN and XB were in the same room or talking to each other when in reality, they were apart and they just understand one another so well that they understand what each other were thinking.
Overall: I highly recommend and will definitely rewatch this movie in the future as it is and will always be one of the best movie I've ever seen. :)
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Beautifully written
This is going to be the first review of mine. It won't be a long one. It might be because I am in a bad period of my life mentally, but I couldn't hold back my tears for 2 hours of the 2.5-hour movie. Bullying is also a very sensitive issue for me, as is not being able to find someone to rely on.I don't want to give spoilers or give any little detail that could ruin the movie but I want to say that this movie was the best movie I've ever seen, no matter how much it made me cry. If you're looking for something action-packed fun, skip this one, but I think everyone should watch it at least once in their lifetime. Thank you. I also want to appreciate the OST and the acting.
Everything was just beautiful.
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Raw & Necessary
This was hard to watch, not in any other way than the real and rawness of everything portrayed in this movie.This is a movie that deals with the subject of bullying in the most blatant and shocking way possible. There is blood and bruises, humiliation and nastiness. This is young humanity at its darkest and it's all displayed on a tiny screen for your viewing tears. And there will be a lot of them.
This depicts the story of Chen Nian who is in her senior year and just trying to prepare for her exams. Her dream is to get into the college of her choice. Right off the bat, this is emotional. A girl that she knows and avoids is getting bullied and jumps off a building at school. Then we see the bullies shift their focus onto her because of her moment of care.
Like I said, this was hard to watch. It was painful and I cried for most of it, because the reality is sad. They didn't pull the punches and show the repercussions of bullying at its worst. This is dark but it makes the spots of light all the more impactful. We do get those happy moments where she shares a newfound joy with Liu Bei Shan. They rescue each other and continue on together. Their relationship surpasses friends or any simple romance to the purest kind of love. It's beautiful and heart wrenching.
All in all, I highly recommend watching this. It is painful but worth the watch.
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So good I rewatched it immediately
I had high expectations going into this and somehow this movie exceeded them anyway. I smiled, I sobbed, I felt so many emotions. The actors did a phenomenal job, I cannot sing their praises enough. The story itself was a masterpiece and everyone involved in its creation is a genius in my eyes. I'm so grateful this film exists, and that I got to watch it and then watch it again the next day because I couldn't stop thinking about it.There was a version of myself before watching this film, and now there is a version after. I will cherish these characters close to my heart forevermore and rewatch their story over and over again to comfort myself with their existence.
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no words, only that this is a masterpiece
i went in worrying that the acting would be shitty because that was the case for all the chinese films i'd watched in the past. i was so wrong, this is some of the best acting i've ever seen, ESPECIALLY THE CRYING SCENES!! even from a technical standpoint, i can't think of a single thing the creators did wrong with this film. the camera work, the music, the acting, the plot, the development, the pacing, everything was so well done.this is gonna be a really hard film to replace for me. it's one of those movies that take a piece of your heart when it finishes. there's so much to be interested in with this film, it's the perfect balance of so many elements i couldn't even name! this movie left me attached to not only the characters, but their actors as well. the next few movies i watch are solely going to be with Jackson Yee and Zhou Dong Yu. i'm lucky if i get to see them in a film together again because their chemistry was fking insane
it's hard to convince a lot of people to take the time out of their day simply to watch a movie, so do what you will with this! but i highly recommend this to literally everyone because even if you don't like romances or sad stories, this film is a whole lot more than just a couple tags and genres.
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This review may contain spoilers
What will you do...?
Watch this to help me with the challenge in MDL and the recommendation from kdoramalama. See Zhou Dong Yu who played this so I decided to watch this.Actually never too like this kind of drama. The drama about bullying and very dark setting, that when we watch it we have to squint our eyes or light up our screen... :p. But after all Zhou Dong Yu not disappointed me with her acting.
We sometimes don't too like to watch this kind of story (bullying), because maybe it remind us about our past or it just very unpleasant story to be watched or heard. But really in the reality this is very important story to tell. So it can bring us awareness about bullying.
If you in the Chen Nian (CN) or Liu Bei Shan (BS) shoes, what will you do...? Will you do the same with them...? Is there really someone like the police said, that will do raping just to save his girl/friend...? If that's me... I don't know will I do the same with CN until the very end... At least before police find out the truth. Or after pushing Wei Lai will I just report to police to confess instead just use BS as replacement. Or I just run away from the crime scene and don't confess anything...???
Overall this good movie, but the genre and story simply just not for everyone...
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PROS:
+ The character and plot development is handled expertly and connects the viewer with a strong, empathetic bond
+ None of the emotions conveyed ever feel cheap or ingenuine
+ The visual presentation is strong with impressive camera shots in the dilapidated urban setting
CONS:
- Some of the decisions made by the main character are frustrating, but simulate circumstances well enough
- The incredible, in-depth tale comes at a price: a very long movie with slower pacing [good luck if you're sleepy]
I enjoyed Better Days as much as I'd hope I would.
It's hard to find great development and strong writing in a lot of modern dramas. This fills that void perfectly.
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