Better Days (2019)

The most beautiful anti-bullying coming-of-age love story set in a dog eat dog world

Whoa... "Better Days" is super intense yet beyond amazing. The whole cast did a fantastic job and the production value is incredible, no wonder this movie got an Oscar nomination. Well deserved, as it shined a light and brought more awareness to bullying.

Wtf is wrong with the police/detectives in this? Do they really think Chen Nian would come back a second time for help after she already filed a complaint the first time and they did nothing about the bullying? Sad to say but this is a dog-eat-dog world nowadays and you practically have to learn to defend yourself because not many people are going to take your side or protect you from harm. Chen Nian had no one else to turn to except for Xiao Bei and let me just say their love was so damn pure. They could feel each other's pain and understand one another on a totally different level while knowing what it is like to be an outcast or left behind. Now don't even get me started on that glow-up (which had me screaming)... Chen Nian only wants to succeed while protecting the world and Xiao Bei's new purpose is wanting to protect the person he loves while living a thug-free life. Glad the police/detectives talked her into doing the right thing by not letting Xiao Bei take all the blame. Perfect ending.

This was beautiful. definitely one of the best movies I've ever watched, everything about it was breathtaking, the acting was perfect, especially the two main characters, they really made me feel connected to them and to their emotions, just beautiful.
The fact that that man lead was ready to sacrifice everything for the woman lead really showed how pure yet mature the love that he has for her and his will to protect her. just beautiful.
The way this movie showed how ruthless some people can be and in this case, "teens" is really scary and painful to watch knowing that it's true.
Yet again I say a beautiful movie with beautiful acting that really made it more special in my eyes. One of the greatest cinematic masterpieces in China......
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How bittersweet, how beautiful.

How bittersweet, how beautiful. Have you ever thought I feel numb after watching a film? I can resume it as how hard can life be for some people. It gave you what it promises you in the plot summary. You may cry, laugh, and worry in the same film. I will watch this film again.

I recommend this film to those who do not think about the consequences of their actions when they are intimidating another person.

There is something that I would like to address, when you are seeing someone that is being bullied, don't stay quiet, try to look for help, that bully does not have superpowers, they can be defeated. We are all human, you bleed, I bleed, and we all do. Be kind, be brave, and be yourself. Better days will come.

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it was amazing

omg i cried so much
it was amazing, the story, production, acting
i love all of that
this movie touched upon the topic of bullying, so if you're sensitive on this topic, i dont recommend you watching

"better days" is really brilliant, i hope that lots of people will watch it, because it can open people's eyes for the problem of bullying in the school, like its all among us, its not fictional problem

lets go back to the acting now: Zhou Dong Yu and Jackson Yee are amazing - as i said before
when one of them was crying i was crying too lmao
their facial expressions seemed so realistic, their acting skills are on high level‼️

about the story: the idea of this plot is really good like, all details are very polished and overall is pleasant to watch

I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND ‼️

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A must watch movie.

I heard many people talking about this movie and saying that it was amazing so I was worried it would fulfil my expectations but, to my surprise, it did, and it even OUTDID my expectations. A great movie.

I would like to give my review by categories:

Story: Even though this might seem like some other movie about bullying, the story goes deeper than that. The message of the full story is crucial, since this topic, bullying, still happens to this day. But this movie also talks about money problems, abandoned kids, school pressure... And the way the story flows is top-tier. I am a big fan of movies starting with a scene from the present, then going to the past where everything happens and then at the end, the first scene from the present. Even though is the same scene, it feels as if it was a completely different scene, it now holds a meaning, a history, a past, and everything changes. The story is also bittersweet, I wouldn't be able to tell if it's sad or happy, I felt both, even at the same time. That's the taste of this movie, and that's the taste of our world. Life is bittersweet, so it is this movie. They portrayed the meaning of life, and most importantly, the life of teenagers, perfectly.

Acting: The cast couldn't have been better. The female lead and the male lead were impressive. The had chemistry even though the barely had scenes having long conversations, and that's because the communicated through their eyes. Both actors were outstanding at being able to say so many things with their eyes. They showed their hearts and it made it all feel warmer and closer, deeper. I would also like to highlight the acting of Zhou Ye, who interpreted Wei Lai, and it's the way she was expressionless most of the time. Her eyes showed nothing but a hole, a nothing, and that's exactly the inside of that character, a girl who has just the same thoughts as her mother and is nothing but a girl without personality, without a persona. Every actor and actress on this was breathtaking, simply amazing.

Music: Overall, the music was good along with each scene, but I do indeed remember one scene were there was a choking change of music that didn't fit for me. I think that music was not one of the most important things in this movie, since it feels more like this kind of movie where you don't really need music, but to hear the background noise, to submerge yourself more into it.

Rewatch value: High, very high. I will probably be rewatching this in a few months when I would have forgotten some scenes and be able to have a little bit of a feeling of watching it for the first time. I also heard that this is based on a novel, so I would also love to read the novel, which I also have big expectations for.

Overall: I belive everything is said. This movie was amazing, it is going to my top favourites right now. I literally don't have enough words to describe how good this movie was. And the ending was also incredible.
So to anyone who hasn't watch it, I would recommend to do it soon, the only thing you are going to reggeret is not being able to watch it for the first time again.

So please watch it and enjoy. Prepare some tissues as well hehe, but you will see, what a masterpiece this is.

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I heard about this movie after watching a video on YouTube.i was initially reluctant to watch it because it seemed sad and bullying story was not my cup of tea.but all the comments in the video was praising the movie so I decided to check it out.even though the movie was heart wrenching at times it was still so beautiful and sweet.the acting was so amazing and surreal.the story was so intriguing.then I heard it was based on a book called "the youthful you who was so beautiful".I read the book.it was even more beautiful than the movie.but the movie was still a great adaptation.the main leads did justice to their characters.

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This movie will break your heart, mend it, and then run it over with a train. I've always tried to avoid romance movies in general because I always think that they'll have unsatisfactory endings, but seeing that this movie received numerous nominations and awards, I decided to give it a shot.

The storyline of Better Days isn't a stranger to the c-drama industry, and it seems very cliche. A "bad" ML, studious FL, and the 3rd person, whether it be a bully or a love interest, are the bases of a school drama. However, this movie illustrates the struggles of victims of abuse, bullying, and doesn't put a filter over it, making it different from other movies on the same topic.

Each person in this cast fits their role perfectly, from their outward appearance to their voice to their style of acting, it really makes you hate and love the characters. The protagonists make you want to give them a hug, and the antagonists make you want to give them a huge slap in the face, successfully engaging the viewers. To be honest, I didn't recognize many members of this cast, and only knew the FL and ML, and after checking it seems quite a few of them are rookies/newer to the industry, yet each of them portray their roles so well. Zhou Ye especially stood out, and her acting was exceptional throughout the film. She embodied the character of a high school bully so perfectly that it makes you feel as if she's not acting at all.

Overall, this movie is one that you must watch. It shows the beauty of teen romance, the stress of school, and the reality of school life.

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This movie is one of the good ones, I really enjoyed it, the chemistry between the main characters was amazing, and even though i'm reading the novel I think they portrayed the relationship of the youths really well.
One of the things that really attracted me in this movie was the details, the male character's place, clothes, hair and injuries really described his life, and his pain, he didn't look like a bad person even though he had all these tattoos, instead he looked lost, and dark.
As for the female character, she was portrayed in the novel as a stutterer and she acted like a child, but in the movie she's like one of these people, who knew a lot but kept it to herself.
I liked the first half of the movie better, the second half fell off for me, but overall, it was worth watching.

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Keep walking. I will be right behind you.

This was one of the movies I had been procrastinating due to the heavy theme ─ although I heard nothing but positive reviews about it. It truly deserves recognition and praise, and no wonder has been one of the most memorable c-movies for many.

While the theme is quite heavy, it also needs a careful and realistic approach, which I think they did right. There wasn't any glorification or gaslighting. It was raw and candid. The characters, of course, had flaws ─ even the main lead because she also, like others, chose silence before becoming a victim ─ but those flaws were understandable and for some, relatable.

One of the aspects I like is that they hinted that bullies became the people they are because of their parents, but they didn't use it as an excuse to demand redemption from the audience. Because at the end of the day, it was their own choice to become that person and not a better person.

The acting was really authentic, especially when they used silence and their eyes to deliver emotions. Cinematography and soundtrack, as well as symbolism they used, were phenomenal, added another layer of depth and a fresh point of view to the story. Love the dialogues as well. They are so beautiful and meaningful.

I'm glad I finally gathered my courage to watch this movie and also glad that they gave us a glimpse of hopeful ending.


cinematography edit : https://youtu.be/QhmYcdiQM2Q

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"However, What They Don’t Teach You Is How To Be An Adult."

I got a few recommendations from my buddies a while back to see this. I saw the good reviews of it in the news and also on MDL. I knew it wasn't going to be an easy watch. I appreciate the film makers, director, writers, and all who participated in this production in having the creative courage to tell a story about a social issue that is difficult to navigate and properly tell.

This drama is gritty and tries to do a realistic portrayal of the characters so nothing goes through pretty pastel filters, you see the starkness as it is.

The focus of the story is about the extreme bullying a teenage girl deals with in her school. It starts off with her classmate who commits suicide due to the bullying. There's a difficult scene where her classmate's dead body is in the center of the school grounds with some students taking pictures of the scene and it was morbid. The FL goes to cover the dead body up out of respect, she becomes the new target of bullying.

Later on, her life intersects with a young thug who is an orphan. The FL and ML seem to have similar backgrounds of poverty and come from broken homes but they have different aspirations and trajectories. The FL is studious and does extremely well in school, she aspires to go to the best university. The ML has lived with a life of violence and has no direction. The FL gets his help to protect her from the bullying so she can focus on graduating and getting into a good university. Their relationship develops further as two lonely individuals who come to support each other.

The bullying continues to spiral out of control and turns into an absolute train wreck for the leads. Most of the adults in the drama give lip service on student bullying and turn a blind eye to it. It was difficult to watch towards the end when you feel the impending doom for both of the leads and the sacrifice one makes for the other.

Extraordinary story telling and deeply heartbreaking.

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Must watch

it is a really heartbreaking story. when u feel wronged, but all people just tryna get you down. the story between lead actors really touch my heart. some of the part made me smile so brigt, but some teared me up. the way the actor built the mood get 10/10 from me. it's so realistic and relatable.

it wasn't cringe at all. we enjoy all the story and made me wanna watch it more and more. The relationship between nian and bei is beautiful yet painful. both of them try to protect each other. they try to cheer each other up. the way bei sacrifice himself is definitely teared me up again.

they always try their best but somehow the reality just punch them. good job for all the actor. i hope they'll make this kind of movies again

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A tearjerker

This is a movie about silver linings. I really did not expect myself to shed so many tears over this movie — but I sobbed throughout it, especially the second half.

I was expecting a really depressing movie where it was just one tragedy and no good parts one after another, but there was a surprising amount of hope and friendship in this that made it really beautiful to watch. The two leads had amazing chemistry and really heart-warming dialogue and it felt like the main focus of the movie, as opposed to the bullying moments. I actually felt like the bullying situation at school and beyond wasn't fleshed out very much, but I think this actually worked in the movie's favor for the most part.

Overall, a really really beautiful movie that will make you ugly cry :)

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