Her Story (Chinese: 好东西; pinyin: Hǎo dōng xī; lit. 'Good Things') is a 2024 Chinese feminist comedy-drama film directed by Shao Yihui, and starring Song Jia, Zhong Chuxi, Zeng Mumei and Zhang Yu. The story revolves around Wang Tiemei, a single mother, and her child who move into a new home and become acquainted with their neighbor, Xiao Ye. The two women, each with contrasting personalities, form an unique bond. Released on 22 November 2024, the film received critical acclaim for its screenplay, direction and performances.
| Her Story | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Shao Yihui |
| Screenplay by | Shao Yihui |
| Produced by | Lizhi Chen Ruoqing Fu Jianfei Guo Li Jie Wang Jun Lingbin Kong Yang Yue Yulong Zhu Yan Zhuang |
| Starring | Song Jia Zhong Chuxi Zeng Mumei Zhang Yu |
| Distributed by | Shanghai Tao Piao Piao Movie & TV Culture Co., Ltd. Shanghai Film Co., Ltd. |
Release date |
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Running time | 123 minutes |
| Country | China |
| Language | Mandarin |
| Box office | (CN¥408 million)[1] |
Plot
editSet in Shanghai, the story follows single mother Wang Tiemei (Song Jia) and her daughter Wang Moli (Zeng Mumei) as they move into a new home and meet their neighbor, Xiao Ye (Zhong Chuxi). Despite their contrasting personalities—Wang Tiemei being resilient and practical, and Xiao Ye more gentle and spontaneous—a connection develops between them.
Wang Tiemei demonstrates strong nurturing skills, while Xiao Ye brings a sense of unpredictability with her talent for improvisation. Together, they face personal challenges and provide mutual support as they navigate past experiences and new circumstances.
The narrative is further shaped by two men in Wang Tiemei’s life: her ex-husband (Mark Chao), who complicates her efforts to find stability, and her daughter’s drum teacher Xiao Ma (Zhang Yu), who introduces new dynamics into her life. The film explores themes of personal growth and self-awareness, raising questions about the challenges the characters will encounter and how their perspectives on themselves and their environment may evolve.
Cast
edit- Song Jia as Wang Tiemei
- Zhong Chuxi as Xiao Ye
- Zeng Mumei as Wang Moli
- Mark Chao as Wang Tiemei's ex-husband
- Zhang Yu as Xiao Ma
Production and pre-publicity
editOn 18 March 2024, the film began shooting in Shanghai and on the same day, the concept poster of the film was released.[2]
This film serves as a parallel piece of director Shao Yihui's 2021 directorial debut B for Busy, continuing its focus on themes of "centering women's perspectives and addressing women's struggles" while conveying the idea that "loving the world begins with loving oneself."[3][4]
When asked by the media about similarities and differences between Her Story and B for Busy, director Shao Yihui explained that the "similarity lies in their lack of intense drama—both are refined from everyday life", and in Her Story "places greater emphasis on showcasing women's unique life experiences, distinct from those of men" and "aim to present how contemporary independent women live, find happiness, and derive a sense of meaning and value."[5]
On 25 October, the first trailer of the film was released and on 19 November, the final trailer was released.[6][7] On 19 November, the film held its first premiere in Chengdu and on November 20, the film held its premiere in Beijing.[8][9]
Release and reception
editThe film was released both domestically and internationally on 22 November 2024, with debut in the United States on November 28, followed by the United Kingdom on 29 November. In Australia and New Zealand, it was distributed in theaters by Little Monster Entertainment on 28 November, with Singapore’s Golden Village releasing it on the same date. Malaysia’s Mega Films Distribution released the film on 8 December.[10] In China, between 29 November and 1 December, the film made ¥140.9 million ($19.8 million) in box office, overtaking Moana 2.[11] In Douban, Her Story has a score of 92.2%, indicating positive and critical acclaim.[12]
The Chinese publication The Sixth Tone and British newspaper The Guardian called the film as China’s answer to the 2023 Hollywood blockbuster Barbie. In an interview, Yang Xiaolin, director of the Film Research Institute at Tongji University, highlighted the film's popularity as stemming from its keen observation of everyday life, marking it as a fresh take on realist cinema. He noted that the film captures the essence of the present without exaggeration, focusing on the experiences of ordinary individuals, particularly the young and middle-aged "new Shanghainese." However, Yang also criticized the film for its intentional sidelining of male characters, arguing that it portrays a gendered narrative where women are depicted as victims of harm or discrimination in a male-dominated society, often intensifying the gender conflict by glorifying one side while vilifying the other.[13][14] Fang Xiaoya of China Daily wrote that the film "created a narrative that speaks to women's experiences with honesty and warmth, inviting the audience to imagine a world where women can be the architects of their own futures."[15]
Wendy Huang of What's On Weibo wrote that "The success of Her Story, the conversations it inspires, and its contribution to highlighting female perspectives in film reflect the evolving dynamics of contemporary cinema and the strengthening of female voices in traditionally male-dominated industries."[16]
References
edit- ^ "好东西". Maoyan. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
- ^ Sohu Movies (2024-03-18). "电影《爱情神话》平行篇《好东西》开机曝概念海报 宋佳钟楚曦章宇领衔主演". Sohu Entertainment. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
- ^ Sina Movies (2024-03-19). "邵艺辉新电影《好东西》开机 宋佳钟楚曦章宇赵又廷演绎《爱情神话》平行篇". 163.com. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
- ^ Zhang, Rui (2024-11-18). "'Her Story' premieres to acclaim at Golden Rooster film fest". China Internet Information Center. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
- ^ "《好东西》是日常生活的提炼". Sina. 2024-11-16. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
- ^ Sina Movies (2024-10-25). "#电影好东西新型情感关系##好东西新预告好叛逆#". Weibo. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
- ^ Sina Movies (2024-10-18). "#电影好东西终极预告##电影好东西快乐交响曲#". Weibo. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
- ^ China Youth Daily (2024-12-02). "电影《好东西》首映，邵艺辉：每个人都收拾好心情向未来进发". QQ.com. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
- ^ China Youth Daily (2024-11-21). "钟楚曦、章宇携新电影《好东西》来蓉 纵享成都松弛感". guoqing.china.co.cn. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
- ^ Frater, Patrick (2024-11-14). "Chinese Feminist Comedy 'Her Story' on Course for U.S., International Releases: 'Women's Voices and Stories Are Becoming More Prominent' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
- ^ Ramanchandran, Naman (2024-12-02). "China Box Office: 'Moana 2' Opens in Second Place as 'Her Story' Retains Top Spot". Variety. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
- ^ "好东西 (2024)". Douban. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
- ^ Rui, Ding (2024-11-25). "The Female-Driven Comedy Being Hailed as China's 'Barbie'". The Sixth Tone. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
- ^ Ding, Minyue (2024-12-01). "Feminist hit movie Her Story touted as China's answer to Barbie". The Guardian. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
- ^ Fang, Xiaoya (2024-12-05). "Herstory: A heartfelt ode to feminism, friendship and everyday liberation". China Daily. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
- ^ Huang, Wendy (2024-12-07). "Why Chinese Hit Movie "Her Story" is 'Good Stuff': Stirring Controversy and Celebrating Female Perspectives". What's On Weibo. Retrieved 2024-12-09.