Better Days

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Better Days Videos

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Better Days Photos

Jackson Yee as Xiao Bei in "Better Days."

Jackson Yee as Xiao Bei in "Better Days."

Jackson Yee as Xiao Bei in "Better Days."

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Movie Info

A bullied high school student and a small-time criminal become the prime suspects in the murder of a teenage girl.

Genre:

drama
Original Language:

Chinese
Director:

Derek Kwok-Cheung Tsang
Producer:

Yuet-Jan Hui
Release Date (Theaters):

Nov 8, 2019 limited
Release Date (Streaming):

May 5, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA):

$1.9M
Runtime:

2h 15m
Sound Mix:

Dolby Atmos
Aspect Ratio:

Flat (1.85:1)

Cast & Crew

Zhou Dongyu
Nian

Jackson Yee
Xiao Bei

Fang Yin
Zheng Yi

Jue Huang
Lao Yang

Yue Wu
Zhou Lei

Derek Kwok-Cheung Tsang
Director

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Critic Reviews for Better Days

All Critics (18) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (18)

It's an absolutely serious look at youth with assorted semi-sensationalistic societal trappings; an oddly effective combination of red meat and popcorn.

February 19, 2021 | Full Review…

Todd McCarthy
Deadline Hollywood Daily
Though not very subtle in presenting its thesis, the story is generally suspenseful and well-told by young HK actor and director Tsang.

December 28, 2019 | Full Review…

Deborah Young
Hollywood Reporter
Gripping, superbly performed melodrama... deeply moving if occasionally overwrought...

December 2, 2019 | Full Review…

Jessica Kiang
Variety
Dark as Better Days gets, there's still a hopeful story about how honesty and courage and fix even the most broken systems.

November 21, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Richard Whittaker
Austin Chronicle
Three years ago, (Derek)Tsang made "Soul Mate," an enchanting tale about female friendship that offered an engrossing look at modern, urban China. Yet that film isn't quite adequate preparation for the emotional wallop of "Better Days."

November 6, 2019 | Rating: 4.5/5 | Full Review…

Cary Darling
Houston Chronicle
Perceptive and gripping drama from China about pressure and bullying in schools, and one of the best films of 2019.

February 9, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5 | Full Review…

Alix Turner
Ready Steady Cut
There's love story at the core of this admirable film, which does stumble into melodrama but in a way that totally works and waylays it from becoming a PSA.

February 8, 2021 | Rating: A- | Full Review…

Frank J. Avella
Awards Daily
Better Days is a film with a genuine social purpose, and what's impressive is the way that Tsang works it into a film that's both visually impressive and gripping, and it ranks as one of the best Chinese films of the last couple of years.

September 16, 2020 | Rating: 4.5/5 | Full Review…

James Mudge
easternKicks.com
Better Days is particularly harrowing in its first half.

September 2, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0 | Full Review…

Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
Better Days truly is one hell of a thing.

August 24, 2020 | Rating: 9/10 | Full Review…

Grant Watson
VCinema
"Better Days" manages to combine the best from both independent and mainstream cinema, which is the recipe that led to both critical and commercial success. Definitely one of the best films of the year.

July 26, 2020 | Full Review…

Panos Kotzathanasis
Asian Movie Pulse
A meaningful but overwrought youth drama about bullying in Chinese schools.

June 3, 2020 | Rating: B | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

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Audience Reviews for Better Days

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