Better Days was directed Derek Tsang who is mostly known internationally for his 2016 film titled Soul Mate. The script was based off a popular novel called In His Youth, In Her Beauty written originally by Jiu Yuexi. Lan Wing Sum along with many others rewrite the story for film and it's release would go on to be very successful, grossing over a 100 million yuan in China alone. Main actor and actress, Zhou Dongyu(Soul Mate) and Jackson Yee(From Boyband FTBoys) were recognized strongly for their performances at award shows during 2019. Who would have thought that this film had so many problems being released because of the film's subject matter? China's censors kept the film in the vault so long that I didn't think it would ever see the light of day. Remember what they did to the BL web drama Addicted when the viewer ratings got too high… The Chinese government claimed the film would cause a negative reaction for students during exam season before deciding to release the film latter. Better days also stars Fang Yin, Wu Yue, and, Huang Jue.
Better Days was a film I really wanted to watch after I saw the trailer be shown while I was watching another film. The tailer looked like a film that would show characters going through a lot of pain before the make it out toward something positive. I ended up waiting months to hear any news about the film cause of all the problems surrounding it's release. Then I found out the the same Director who worked on Soul Mate directed this film and I knew I was in for a treat. Better Days is a film that presents itself as a film tackling topics about bullying. Going by what Soul Mate turned out to be, You have an idea that Derek's projects don't ever just have on layer to peel off but several that lead to a main core topic. Bullying is defiantly at the center of Better Days, however, you also see the characters deal with other problems dealing with society. Events that come to happen as you watch makes it painfully apparent that a lot that starts the fire behind bullying or suicide has to do with society pressure to be on the beaten path. If you don't find yourself on this path, you are considered a failure: a person even lower than trash on the street. So you see two characters deal with the cards that they are dealt. That's the life they are given. They are taught that the only way out is to get into a good school and move away from the slum's walls from which they were born. A quote from Better Days is "Be the Bully or get Bullied". What's sad is that the characters automatically think they have to choose one. There's no in between. I related to this film's situations as a black man because if you come from poverty as a minority, you absolutely understand where this mindset comes from. Black people tend to have the same mentality in the black community. We have been taught this mindset that screams only one can be in the spot that will take you up. Many of us who live in or have come from poverty don't realize that there's room for everyone at the top. Living in a place where everything seems hopeless will do that to a person. Better Days goes into this topic hard hitting like a sling shot. Every instance you see is very realistic raw portrayal that's just real life. One genre isn't big enough to hold Better Day's story. Things start off as a drama then heads into a dark thriller which was welcomed nicely thanks to the consistent anguished tone throughout the film. If you're looking for a film that will super coat romance for you to the point of causing cavities, then Better Days isn't for you. All problems are handled with solid solutions but I would be lying if I said the process wasn't shaky- all most heartbreakingly so. Still, I would without a doubt place Better Days on the list of Best Chinese Films from 2019. Zhang Yimou's Shadow is on there somewhere too….
Jackson Yee and Zhou's performances make you want to go give both of them a hug. There were many times during the film where I want to reach my arms through the screen and take both of them in my arms. Both character's suffering is endless. Then when they do find momentary happiness, that's ripped out from under them cause of outside forces. Characters like these are hard to act out if you don't have the talent. conveying internal emotional pain to viewers without being over the top takes skill. I was surprised when I watched the behind the scenes that shows both leads having doubts about their performances. You would never know after watching how well both of them stumble along in a world that puts a value on their worth since they come from the ghetto. I really have to eknowledge to whole cast for seeming as human as possible. The performances made me feel sadness, frustration, hatred, etc. Fang Yin's character was like a reflection of an adult who survived through bullying that never threw away the emotional baggage. I've only felt so strongly about a cast a few times in my film experiences. Better Days was one of those times.
Certain mental notes I made about the shots while I was watching was the usage of unconventional filming methods. Most was little things to invoke emotion. For example, a close up shot of a twisted foot leaning to the side as a chapter sits in a hospital waiting room. A super shaky camera shot shown before cutting to a scene of the leads riding on a motorbike. Even the constant close up face shots that have the viewer staring onto the eyes for each character as they talk. These little things are sentimental triggers that would not be possible without the great performances and the perfect shots.
Better Days is a film that the realists will enjoy. This story isn't here to make you feel good. Instead the director wants to open your eyes to a important subject matter using brute emotional force.
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