Better Days

Well Go USA Entertainment | Release Date: November 8, 2019

7.8	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 26 Ratings

USER RATING DISTRIBUTION

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Review this movie

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Please sign in or create an account before writing a review.

Check box if your review contains spoilers

0 characters (5000 max)

User Reviews

User score By date Most helpful

JLuis_001Mar 20, 2021

''Is it my fault they bullied me? ''I'm sorry you went through all that, but if you had trusted the adults, we could have helped you''

''Who could have helped? The ones who recorded me? The ones who witnessed it all? Or the ones who blame me''Is it my fault they bullied me? ''I'm sorry you went through all that, but if you had trusted the adults, we could have helped you''

''Who could have helped? The ones who recorded me? The ones who witnessed it all? Or the ones who blame me for being a victim?''

''So, you did justice by your own hand?
You confronted your abuser and took revenge.''

''Revenge may seem normal to most people.
But those of us who have suffered. Are we the ones who are wrong?

This dialogue from the final act of this movie was perhaps the one that got me thinking a lot.

Bullying is a recurring theme in film, but the approaches rarely show the complete fracture of the person who is being abused.
A mental and social fracture that ends up turning them into perpetual victims by committing a crime when they finally explode.

And many times we say: Why was nothing done to stop this situation? Why didn't they help them?
And sadly, by the time the "grown-up" people want to help, it's already too late.

A vicious cycle that repeats itself constantly. Better Days is not a subtle movie on the subject, but sometimes it's necessary to hit the audience in a certain way so that they somehow decide to tackle the issue themselves.

This is a tough, sad and uncomfortable movie, but up to a point it's hopeful. And considering its theme and how events unfold, I could never argue that it offers a happy ending, but somehow the ending offers a look that allows you to believe that there will be a change, and someone will get the help the main character just didn't get from the people who were supposed to protect her.
This scene takes place in the middle of the credits, so if you end up watching this movie, watch them.

I loved when a movie leaves me with things to think about after watching them, and Better Days did that extensively.

Highly recommended.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

All this user's reviews

Emily041219Nov 28, 2019

The movie is absolutely worth watching. It reminds me of my high school life.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

All this user's reviews

bertobellamyApr 11, 2021

'Better Days' has many problems. First, it's hard not to see this film as propaganda: "Look, bullying existed in our schools, but we eradicated it from the county with the help of our good cops." Second, the romantic story is just'Better Days' has many problems. First, it's hard not to see this film as propaganda: "Look, bullying existed in our schools, but we eradicated it from the county with the help of our good cops." Second, the romantic story is just insufferable. The relationship between the main characters is just a way to attract a larger audience. Their amorous conflict never connects effectively with the bullying storyline, which kind of gets overshadowed by a ridiculous crime subplot.

Finally, director Derek Tsang and his screenwriters conceived this as a tearjerker. Every scene is designed as a feelings crusher; in almost every shot, we see the girl —convincingly played by a nearly thirty-year-old woman— crying or being humiliated by their schoolmates.

The good thing is that 'Better Days' has no chance of winning Best International Film at the Oscars. 'Another Round' will easily take the prize.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

Brent_MarchantApr 15, 2021

As a treatise on the damage and indignities caused by bullying (both physically and in cyberspace), the message here couldn't be any louder or clearer. But, as a cinematic work, director Kwok Cheung Tsang's latest offering could use someAs a treatise on the damage and indignities caused by bullying (both physically and in cyberspace), the message here couldn't be any louder or clearer. But, as a cinematic work, director Kwok Cheung Tsang's latest offering could use some tidying up, especially in terms of length. Based on author Jiuyue Xi's young adult novel "In His Youth, In Her Beauty," this somewhat overlong story of a Chinese schoolgirl beset by relentless (and graphically depicted) bullying as she prepares for her college entrance exams takes its time telling its tale. However, the picture grows decidedly stronger as it progresses, delivering a number of intriguing twists and turns as the protagonist and her punkish but chivalrous protector become embroiled in a gruesome murder mystery. In the end, the picture is a telling indictment of a system that claims to care about the well-being of its school age youth but that ultimately fails to provide the proper protection when needed -- that is, until enough attention is focused on the issue that it can't help but spark much-needed reforms, a potent cautionary tale for us all.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

finleeolJun 18, 2021

i don’t remember the last time i cried but this (the ending) made me cry. if a genie granted me one wish i would chose to forget this movie and watch it for the first time again. absolute 10/10 i wouldn’t change a thing

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews