# Better Days (2019) — Celluloid fact sheet

Source: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/better-days-2019/
Last reviewed: 2026-08-31

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Celluloid Score | 81% |
| Editorial Rating | 88/100 |
| Audience Snapshot | 85% (excluded from composite) |
| Metascore | 80/100 |
| Letterboxd | 3.9/5 |
| IMDb | 7.6/10 |
| Director | Derek Tsang |
| Genres | Drama, Romance, Crime |
| Runtime | 135 min |
| Festival premiere | Busan 2019 (A Window on Asian Cinema) |
| Major awards | 4 wins, 1 nominations |

## Quick answer

Better Days (2019) earns a 81% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Devastating and tender — Zhou Dongyu and Jackson Yee anchor a school-bullying drama that earned global awards attention  Metascore 80/100. Directed by Derek Tsang.

## Celluloid verdict

Devastating and tender — Zhou Dongyu and Jackson Yee anchor a school-bullying drama that earned global awards attention while navigating censorship with surprising emotional honesty.

## Synopsis

A bullied high-school girl forms a protective bond with a street-smart teenage fighter as campus violence spirals toward tragedy — Derek Tsang's adaptation became China's Oscar International Feature nominee and a Golden Rooster sweep.

## Cast

Zhou Ye, Zhou Dongyu, Jackson Yee, Yin Fang, Wu Di

## Accolades

Premiered at Busan 2019, where it won the A Window on Asian Cinema.
- Won Best Actress — Golden Rooster Awards 2020
- Nominated for Best International Feature Film — Academy Awards 2021
- Won Best Feature Film — Golden Horse Awards 2019
- Won Best Leading Actress — Golden Horse Awards 2019
- Won Best Director — Golden Horse Awards 2019

## Where to watch

the United States: not currently streaming
South Korea: Netflix, Disney+
Japan: Hulu, U-NEXT

## Critic reviews on Celluloid: 1

## Common questions

**Is Better Days worth watching?**
Better Days holds a 81% Celluloid Score. Devastating and tender — Zhou Dongyu and Jackson Yee anchor a school-bullying drama that earned global awards attention while navigating censorship with surprising emotional honesty.

**What is Better Days about?**
A bullied high-school girl forms a protective bond with a street-smart teenage fighter as campus violence spirals toward tragedy — Derek Tsang's adaptation became China's Oscar International Feature nominee and a Golden Rooster sweep.

**Who directed Better Days?**
Better Days (2019) was directed by Derek Tsang.

**What is the Celluloid Score of Better Days?**
81% — calculated from available Celluloid editorial (88/100), Metascore (80/100), Letterboxd (3.9/5), and IMDb (7.6/10) inputs. Audience sentiment is excluded.

**What awards did Better Days win?**
Better Days won Best Actress (Golden Rooster Awards 2020), Best Feature Film (Golden Horse Awards 2019), Best Leading Actress (Golden Horse Awards 2019), Best Director (Golden Horse Awards 2019), with 1 further nomination.

**Where can I watch Better Days?**
Better Days is on Netflix, Disney+ in South Korea; on Hulu, U-NEXT in Japan. Availability varies by region.

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Reviewed and scored by Celluloid · Editor: Kaiser Khan (https://celluloidscore.com/author/kaiser-khan/)

Markdown mirror: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/better-days-2019.md