Us and Them (2018)

Perfectly imperfect.

I am blown away. I’m not sure if it was because I knew nothing about the film or didn’t know what to expect, but what I found was a true gem.

Us and Them is a bittersweet decades long romance about two people meant for each other but can’t seem to find the way to figure out how to be together and achieve their dreams at the same time. Yes, this is a story of young love but it’s also a story about family and those people who we choose to be part of our lives that changes us forever.

This film is also the directorial debut of Rene Liu, a singer-songwriter-actress from Taiwan. It’s hard to believe this is her first time behind the camera because she manages to tell a multilayered story, of everyday normal people, and the complexity of their relationships with amazing ease.

It helps that film counts with the participation of two of Asia’s raising stars, Jing Boran and Zhou Dongyu, and veteran chinese actor Tian Zhuangzhuang.

While Jing and Zhou bring out the most passionate and restlessness feelings of youth, it’s on Tian to be the steady and unyielding presence of family love. The three managed it with such a deep understating of who their characters are that you can’t help but feel connected to what they are going through.

I don’t want to tell you more because the movie is told in a way, going back and forth through time, where you are trying to figure out how this love story ends until the very last minute. I highly recommend everyone to watch this beautiful story, I promise you will enjoy every minute of it.

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what could have been

It's just a simple story that probably happened to millions of people on the planet, but it manages to make my heart aches. Wondering the what could have been or regretting things that have been done. IMHO, The way they pictured a coloured world when they were together and a colorless scene when they are not together, it's a very nice touch. The last scene with the dad's letter is also making my heart aches. Last, the scenes when they are crying and laughing in the car wondering and regretting what could have been, what should have been and the if only scenarios, it's just perfection. Good acting from both of the leads too.

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Comforting but common

I took a while to get into this movie; at the very start it was just a little confusing and something about the way it cut between past and present scenes was awkward and abrupt. I also wasn't necessarily feeling the romance, despite some of the cute scenes they had together.

There was something still very comforting about the movie, about just seeing two people grow together, grow up, grow apart, and then meet again to get closure. The emphasis on family and finding a home was really moving as well, and actually it was these parts, with their parents, that hit me harder than any of the romance which I feel like was a story I'd already seen.

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I wish...

I have never wrote a review here, but I felt the need to write a review for this movie.

From the great acting of our two lead actors, to the cinematography of this movie, everything left its mark on me. The end broke me and left me crying like a baby, making me rethink all of the relationships I had until this moment.

I wish to never take for granted any person I have and will have in my life ever again. I wish to give all the love I have in me to the people around me. I wish to never forget to say "I love you" or "I'm sorry". I wish to live my life with all it gives. Even if it's happiness, sadness, love, or sorrow. But I wish to not live with regret anymore.

I hope everyone who will watch this movie will wish the same things as me. Even if you don't like the story, or the actors, or anything about it, I just wish you will at least take this lesson from it.

Also, watch the movie until the end, with the end credits as well.

*I just noticed that this movie was released on my birthday. I'm going to take this as a sign.*

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comforting and depressing

“You missed me too much. So, it was your imagination.”

When grandpa called his wife Xiao Xiao… but his wife isn’t Xiao Xiao…

Grandpa’s letter… I almost made it through the whole movie without crying, but then the letter came… I’m very upset now.

This was beautiful yet heartbreaking and the actors played their characters so naturally and masterfully. Time moved so quickly while watching this movie, which means a lot in my book because I'm not a movie person at all. This felt comforting and depressing at the same time, and I liked how his game was represented in the present timeline. The scenes were in black and white because they didn't end up together. I guess the end becoming colorful meant they found peace in their breakup because their love for each other still persisted even if they aren't together? Whatever it is, this movie was beautiful, but I will NOT watch it again😭💗

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A love so beautiful, you have to rewatch to truly understand

(I feel this is more of my feelings on the ending than a full on review so...)
I think I'll have to watch this beauty a few more times to truly understand how deeply they love and care for each other. Maybe 2 rewatches because until now its a mess in my head...I'm happy, I'm sad, I'm satisfied and yet disappointed with the ending. My feelings are conflicted because this is the first time I've seen such complex and unfamiliar emotions being so well portrayed.
I'm left confused and amazed.
I understand them to some extent but somehow i could never even begin to truly understand lest i actually experience their love, pain, agony, happiness and so much more.

Holy hell, this movie make me want to write freaking essays that i hate sm. And ofc its always Zhou Dong You and her impeccable acting that do this to me 😭😭 (damn her good taste)

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