Reviewed by Sunchica Unevska
Towards “Better Days”, directed by Derek Tsang, starring: Zhou Dongyu, Jackson Yee, Ye Zhou, photography: Ying-Pin Yu, editing: Yibo Zhang, Hong Kong/China 2019
A FILM ABOUT HELL AND HOPE
Hong Kong's movie “Better Days” was among the five Oscar-nominated films in the International Feature Film category this year, bringing Hong Kong the third nomination in general for the award and the first for a film signed by a Hong Kong director (not by China). This year was characteristic because as many as four films talked about extremely engaged and current topics, except the Danish “Another Tour”, which actually won the award. Maybe, and probably is, Thomas Vinterberg is a great director and there were good actors in the film and a lot of “supporting” themes performed virtuously, but the fact is that something remained unsaid when it comes to this program, because important works were skipped.
One of them, of course, is “Better Days”, a movie that talks about bullying among teenagers, which despite its naivety and romanticism is a valuable film, that evokes emotions and fascinates with acting, photography, atmosphere, but also with romance and purity which is somewhat reminiscent of those ancient tragedies, which, whether unrealistic or true, can hit the target. In fact, “Better Days” is consciously made as a film for young people, a film that views both, violence and brutality with a simplicity, messaging and avoiding fatality, because it takes away hope, especially when it comes to minors.
Together against bullying
Yes, better days can come if you resist, if you believe, if you seek a way out, if you work to overcome difficulties, pass exams and grow. Although, at one point Chen Nian (Zhou Dongyu) says that no one teaches you how to be an adult, but the purpose of the film from the very beginning is to help unite and engage against bullying and to give hope to those who need it. The fact is that the film is actually very real, very violent and at times brutal, it does not spare the viewers from it, because those things really happen, but his idea is how to overcome it, and even more so how young people can cope with such a hell in which they can be pushed. Certainly not by closing one's eyes, not only the young people, but also their parents, their friends, and their teachers, that one must not be indifferent to such an evil.
“Better Days”, the movie that was shown in Berlin in 2019 in the youth program “Generation”, thus begins, with the shocking scene of suicide of a young girl who can’t stand the pressure. From the very beginning, we see Chen Nian how experiencing all that, we see her as a victim and as the only one who is so strongly affected by this event, and whose events and memories are not accidentally intertwined with the death of Hu Xiaodie. The young actress Zhou Dongyu is perfect in her expression, it seems that the whole ancient tragedy is reflected in her. The (innocent) images that are then lined up are extraordinary, of young students, teenagers, with their weird and crazy poses while taking pictures, make grimaces, laugh, have fun, yes, those are their years, but not of Chen Nian, which alone in the pictures has such an empty and frightened look.
A phenomenon of pop culture
Director Derek Tsang, known for his film “Soulmates”, in which also starred Zhou Dongyu, makes a very good choice for this whole issue to speak through a romantic thriller, through a difficult but bearable story, which can bring to young people hope for the future and belief that, after all, it is not the end of the world. Everyone was wondering why the film was withdrawn for almost a year after its premiere in Berlin, and released only in the fall, but the Chinese authorities did not do that because of the theme, but because the film also deals with that famous two-day exam in Hong Kong known as “gaokao”, which is very difficult and arduous and on which the future of the youth literally depends. Tsang also talks about the school and the pressure that young people are exposed to in the education system, and complemented by the story of bullying and a lack of interest and ignorance of teachers to prevent or change something in that regard. Not by chance, after its release, the film has become a pop culture phenomenon in China, grossing over $ 230 million.
Chen Nian has no choice but to accept the friendship offered by the young dealer, whom after a chance encounter she will try to save from thugs who brutally beat him, by calling the police. Then the story takes on a different course, it becomes cute, fun, at times relaxed and beautiful, while talking about the security that Chen finally feels, the sense of protection, but also the closeness with someone of her generation, with whom she can share the beauty, socializing, sharing, discovering everything that brings excitement and pleasure to young people. Those colors and pictures are beautiful, which really in the play with light and even poetics, are reminiscent of Wong Kar Wai’s films, those incredibly seductive, unforgettable scenes. No, it doesn’t have that suppress sensuality here, but it has sincerity, kindness, openness, finding himself and enjoying everything that was deprived to them, her because of rejection and bullying, and him because of the abandonment of his family.
The search for hope and goodness
Not that the movie “Better Days” has no flaws, it does, you can see the inexperience of the author, you can see the inability to keep the composition and rhythm, to compress and focus the script, you can see the common weakness of the firsts, when you want to put everything in them. There really is everything here, the genres inevitably get mixed up, but it must be said that it doesn’t make the film bad, and even the used allusions or scenes from other films, on the contrary, it all gives it a taste, allows to bring the emotion even stronger and to involve us into that sad as well as beautiful story. A story of true friendship, of love, of sacrifice, of the struggle for the future, of the awareness of these wonderful young people of true values, but also of their own potential. Which is really very rare. Complemented by effective and extremely suggestive scenes, complemented by art, colors, hope and faith, the pursuit of goodness, the pursuit of justice, the desire for a better life, which we must and should provide to young people.
The film is based on the teen hit novel “In His Youth, In Her Beauty” and although it is not indicated anywhere that it is inspired by real events, at the end of the film it’s said that all this in 2012 received a lot of publicity, which both the government and the education ministers were interested in, and that in the following years many changes were made in terms of preventing bullying in schools, that penalties, security, intervention programs and regulations have been introduced for primary and secondary schools. And so the movie ends, saying that only together can we protect the younger generations, and even the world from bullying. Not by chance that young Chen will at some point say that she wants to graduate from college, become smart and try to save the world.
“Better Days" is a romantic, naive, poetic, shocking, powerful film, which talks about evil and good, horror and beauty, injustice and struggle, and insensitivity, but also sacrifice to help the other. Yes, it is all a life that young people face, and because of youth and irresponsibility, and because of society, and because of the system, and because of families, and because of all that surrounding which can really turn into hell, with which those young people, like it or not, are often left to fend for themselves. Romance maybe seem like an unrealistic dream, but it is not, the fact is that fantasy can come true when you are ready to fight and find a way out. And Derek Tsang does just that, because despite the theme, he doesn’t want to make a depressing or disappointing film, no, his film is about hope, and it has all around us only if we are encouraged and ready to truly seek and lend her a hand. Is there a better message than that, especially when we talk about young people?
Comments