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A Journey Through Time, Without a Destination, Only a Direction - Towards You
I watched "Our 18x2 Youth: Journey Towards You" during the early afternoon hours of summer, in the sweltering heat, fighting against drowsy sleepiness, but miraculously, the 120-minute film still made me feel warm, right in the middle of a hot summer day. A Taiwanese film in collaboration with Japan, featuring names that guarantee youth cinema, should have set very high expectations for me, but strangely, before and while entering the theater, I still didn't expect too much excitement or surprise from this film. Perhaps thanks to that, I could let myself drift into Jimmy's journey without a destination to Japan, immerse in the love story of two people who loved each other but never expressed it in words, in an atmosphere full of poetry and beautiful, shimmering scenes set in misty Japan and Taiwan lit up with lights."Our 18x2 Youth" first and foremost is still a love story. It's not a different, unique story that has never appeared on screen, because essentially, any love story, whether in films or real life, is similar, all originating from the same wonderful feelings. Jia Ming's first love came unexpectedly amid such heartfelt stirrings; one could say he was struck by love at first sight on a clear day, when a basketball, which was also his childhood dream, slowly rolled to the feet of a Japanese girl. Then, the story is told through Jimmy's dreams, revisiting his memories, continuing like that, with summer seeming to stretch endlessly. Jimmy recalls the story of his first love, remembers Jia Ming, the young man full of passion but easily shy and embarrassed when standing before his first crush, remembers the trips on his motorbike around small Tainan, much smaller compared to places Jimmy visited later, but also more special, much more. At that time, Jia Ming was 18 years old, not knowing what he dreamed of, not knowing what the future would hold, what the destination of his life would be. Now, Jimmy is 36, pausing his career pursuit to embark on a new journey, to find himself, to find the woman he loves. The section with the shifting perspective and narrator, with the separate story from Ami's narrative, wasn't really surprising, but it was like the way something expected finally arrives, filling my soul and longing. It turns out both were oriented towards each other; it turns out there are loves in this world where no one confesses because they both understand, no need for words, no need for kisses, words of love, no need for affirmation or confirmation. They just loved each other, peacefully like that, sadly like that, soaked in tears. That was first love, those were the feelings, also the warmth, the light, the cherry blossom rain falling forever, the snowflakes covering their lives, until much later.
"Our 18x2 Youth" is also a story about trips, about journeys. The truth about itinerary in the film is a very poetic association, but extremely simple. Each trip is actually a stroll in a new land, to interact with new people, new cultures, to fall in love with a strange place, to look back at ourselves, to love ourselves, to love where we were born. Traveling is wandering, steps without a destination, feeling throughout the journey we take, preserving scenes only we can see, moments that exist only for an instant. Both Jimmy and Ami wished their journey would never stop; they wrote their wish on a lantern released into the sky. I believe their dream will come true and has already come true, because each life is a journey, we travel without knowing where we'll go, that journey is also like a visit, an expedition, observing humanity, feeling love, loving lands, people, life. More profound than a trip to Taiwan, Japan, or around the world, the film also conveys the human ideal of living, we keep moving forward, resting is to start a new journey, perhaps that's what the filmmaker wanted to convey?
And, finally, "Our 18x2 Youth" is a collaboration between Taiwan and Japan. Therefore, I could clearly feel the culture of both countries skillfully interwoven throughout the love story, about youth and growth, about messages in journeys. Taiwan, Tainan simple, vibrant, bright with lights from night markets, bearing the features of a rural area; Taipei hurried on electric trains, modern under neon lights, bustling, busy. Japan in a noodle shop at night, hidden in pure white snow, passing on trains crossing rivers, dreamy with cherry blossom rain, sparkling with lanterns released into the high sky. Not just cultural interchange in landmarks, geographical areas, the feeling and atmosphere have very slight changes, but harmonious throughout the film. The art of filming is distinct, soothing and gentle from beginning to end, the flexible tone shifting between cold and warm for scenes alternating between present-past, adulthood-youth, 18-18x2, frames creating a feeling of confinement in a box with settings stretching far away, the subtlety in mixing light, film rhythm fast and slow, colors... All contributed to creating a film as beautiful as a Japanese animation, covered with the nostalgic breath commonly seen in Japanese and Taiwanese films, a unique quality no one can copy.
Final words must praise the actors in the film. All were very natural; Greg Hsu perhaps has received enough praise to build several cities, truly a box office guarantee. I often joke that just having him participate in a role means the filmmaker has already succeeded halfway. The difference between Jimmy and Jia Ming sometimes made me think they were two different people (just exaggerating haha). The actress playing Ami was also very beautiful; she played her role perfectly, cute and full of first love vibes always. In general, the good chemistry comes from the accomplished acting of both actors :D
Despite all this praise, I don't think I really empathized much with the film, so it was hard for me to have as many emotions as I expected. I couldn't feel too much pleasure in traveling, although the film did make me want to travel a bit more, nor could I deeply absorb the profound love between the two (it had only been a month, sigh). I yawned quite a bit during the beginning, the storytelling wasn't very smooth, many shots made me wonder why they transitioned scenes like that, the tears near the end of the film were a bit forced... Anyway, the film deserves its current success, but perhaps it's not underrated at all.
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Melancholic. Beautiful. Bittersweet
I know It is a sad movie and yet I found it is one beautiful movie. Melancholy that we experience with loss of the true love, makes us know the depth of that love. That melancholy hits you like the saddest note of the violin. It leaves you feeling empty long after, because you know such love and such youth will never come back. What remains is the memories. Moments they die, yet in the memories they remain alive.
What also was touching was how male lead avoided going to her home because he could not come to terms with her death. He wanted to experience her life and not come face to face with her death because in his memory she was more alive than anyone he met. Love is not about possessing but about knowing and experiencing even if without the one whom you truly love. Thank you for such warmth that was lighted by this movie even though it makes you traverse through tunnel of darkness and into the cold snowy place.
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Not my Cup of Tea - Real Life is harsh enough
This film starts as a beautiful but awkward love story between Jimmy, an 18-year-old Taiwanese teen working at a karaoke bar, and Ami, a Japanese backpacker who briefly works alongside him.Spoilers
The chemistry never truly sparks, which I later realized was intentional—Ami keeps her distance due to her hidden struggle with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (a serious heart condition where the heart muscle thickens abnormally, making it harder for the heart to pump blood effectively and potentially leading to life-threatening complications).I never rooted for Jimmy and Ami as a couple, and I couldn't understand why Jimmy became so obsessively devoted to her from the outset. The story leans heavily on the frustrating trope of one person (Ami) unilaterally withholding life-altering information—her terminal illness—under the guise of nobility.
Eighteen years later, Jimmy (now in his 30s) remains so fixated on the "what if" of Ami that he's avoided other relationships entirely. This obsession stalls his personal growth and professional success, trapping his entire young adult life around what he perceived as rejection. It's profoundly sad, but in a preventable, self-inflicted way.
There are almost no genuinely uplifting moments to lighten the gloom—at most, their single date provides a brief flicker. They share a movie-watching scene that clearly devastates them both, but the film never explains the movie's content or why it affects them so deeply. It also glosses over Ami's hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, leaving key emotional context underdeveloped.
Ironically, the fleeting relationships Jimmy forms during his present-day journey through Japan are far more heartwarming and authentic than his central romance with Ami. The young boy he befriends on the train is adorable and genuinely kind, creating a sweet, fleeting connection that brought a real smile to my face. Even more charming is the young woman working at the internet cafe who kindly takes him to a lantern festival—their easy rapport felt refreshing, and I found myself hoping Jimmy would track her down again and maybe spark a new, healthier relationship.
While some viewers who love melancholic films might call this "realistic," and others may view Ami's secrecy as selfless (she truly believed she was protecting Jimmy, and it pained her deeply), I strongly disagree. True love means facing difficult truths together and making decisions as partners, not alone.
The frequent switching between Japanese and Mandarin also confused me; without clearer cues, it was hard to follow the languages and made scenes feel disjointed.
I would not recommend this film. I would not watch it again. And I avoid content like this. i do not need sad, or terminal illnesses or anything like that - enough going on like that in real life.
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Cần ngay một anh xe ôm tên Hứa Quang Hán :))))
Điểm cộng:- Cảnh quay đẹp dã man. Nào là cảnh đầy tuyết trắng ở Nhật Bản, cảnh thả đèn trời tại Đài Bắc.
- Một anh Hán hóa thân vào vai Jimmy tuổi 18 tràn đầy nhiệt huyết làm mình vô tình nhớ tới một ánh trăng sáng trong lòng mình là Lý Tử Duy năm ấy.
Điểm trừ:
- Mình coi được 30 phút trong rạp là mí mắt mình sụp xuống và muốn đi về rồi. Cốt truyện không quá đặc sắc mà phải nói là dẫn dắt như hạch ấy :))))) Nếu không vì anh Hán thì mình cũng không bỏ tiền đi xem rồi.
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Eu não esperava por isso, mas... Que nossas viagens nunca acabem...
Essa co-produção Japão-Taiwan realmente foi belíssima. Os cenários da viagem de Jimmy são de tirar o fôlego, a trilha sonora é sutil e acompanha muito bem todo o desenvolvimento do filme, que tem um roteiro perfeito, pois nos direciona a vivenciar a experiência de vida dos personagens e soube dosar muito o passado/presente se complementando.A delicadeza em mostrar o presente do Jimmy mais "apático", com tons cinzas e azuis, enquanto os flashbacks de sua juventude alaranjados e com cores vibrantes me deu uma fisgadinha no coração, porque era nítido o quanto aquelas recordações eram importantes e felizes para o personagem.
Quando ele chega ao restaurante no Japão e conversa com o dono, ali percebi que o filme nos direcionaria mais ainda para a jornada dele do que para um possível reencontro, que seria mais uma viagem de cura para sua vida que foi tirada do eixo e sobre sentimentos do passado, não só amorosos, mas a gana para viver.
O Greg Han arrasou em sua atuação, assim como a Kiyohara Kaya e todo o elenco, gostei muito de ver como eles se tornaram próximos no karaoke. E adorei a representação do mural que a personagem Ami fez, toda a sua experiência e momentos importantes foram descritos de forma muito bonita.
Quando ele finalmente chega a Tadami, eu percebi, pelo senhor, que o plot viria, mas acho que por toda a esperança que eu estava tendo para que fosse apenas a promessa de que a viagem não havia acabado, que demorei a assimilar que era realmente o que eu estava assistindo. E quando o Jimmy escreve a carta, ai lágrimas rolaram profundamente, porque eu não esperava que tudo que ele vivenciou foi pelo impacto e negação.
Definitivamente recomendarei este filme as minhas amigas. Eu amo quando assisto algo que me faz refletir por horas, dias e até mesmo que me visite em pensamentos ao longo dos tempos, e esse definitivamente será um deles.
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- nội dung : cảm động nhe, bộ này trước t mua vé xem ở rạp, lúc coi khóc um sùm =))), kiểu nó kể về mối tình vô tình gặp nhau của 2 người, nhưng mà chưa kịp bắt đầu thì đã kết thúc, nữ 9 mắc bệnh nên mất lúc nam 9 đi tìm nữ 9 thì mới biết nữ 9 qua đời rồi. Nó đau lòng ác luôn, nhưng t lại thích nội dung phim, nó như là bài học răn đe con người hãy biết trân trọng từng khoảnh khắc được sống ý, nói chung hay cực kìvề diễn viên thì hong gì bàn rùi, diễn ok tự nhiên với hem bị sượn
bộ này rcm nên coi thử, tuy là phim dài 1-2 tiếng nhưng t tin nó đủ truyền tải nội dung phim
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