I think the young-and-old pairing is only the shell. At its core, the film uses the methods of commercial genre cinema to tell the story of two completely different men who influence each other and each find a way out of their difficulties. No one is perfect, and everyone has problems to face, so we need each other to become better people. Through a non-linear narrative structure, accessible comic situations, fantasy sequences and narration that break the fourth wall, and non-realistic use of colour, I will make the whole story feel fresh.
A-Hai, a university senior, is honest and simple and cannot say no to anyone. The highlight of his university years was forming a band that nobody noticed. He fails a course for helping a friend cheat, and his relationship with his girlfriend is in crisis. To make up credits, he takes what looks like an easy social practice course, but is unexpectedly sent to volunteer at a nursing home, where he meets Lao Zhao, a cantankerous "bad old man" who cannot express his feelings. The nursing home is organising a performance by several residents, and Lao Zhao, who plays the guitar, is the obvious choice. To finish his coursework at the nursing home early, A-Hai strikes a deal with Lao Zhao, who is eager to repair his relationship with his daughter, to help each other. One is scatterbrained and the other is grumpy. After they go to the wrong venue, they turn the engagement party of Lao Zhao's daughter into a farce, making the father-daughter relationship worse. Unable to make up for never having taken his daughter to an amusement park, Lao Zhao invites A-Hai instead, and the two spend a happy day together. Meanwhile, A-Hai is depressed after his girlfriend cheats on him. Drunk, he accidentally falls from a building, but rumours say he did it for love, and he becomes a laughing stock. The two keep each other company at their lowest points and gradually develop a sincere bond, part father and son, part friends. The performance goes well, but A-Hai unexpectedly learns that Lao Zhao is terminally ill and tells the director of the nursing home. Lao Zhao, who wanted to hide his illness, is furious and breaks off with A-Hai. At his daughter's wedding, Lao Zhao finally overcomes his difficulty in expressing his feelings and tells his daughter of his deep love for her through a video, and father and daughter are reconciled. A-Hai visits Lao Zhao in hospital, they speak from the heart, and the misunderstanding is resolved. Although they must eventually part, each has learned to face his own difficulties and feels reborn.
Genre:
Drama, Light ComedyDirector:
Wang PeiExecutive Producer:
Lam Bing-kwan (Hong Kong, China)Screenwriter:
Wang PeiProducer:
Feng YuanAbout to graduate from university, A-Hai finds he is short of credits and hastily signs up for a social practice course, hoping to scrape through. He is unexpectedly sent to a nursing home, where he meets Lao Zhao, a cantankerous "bad old man". Their time together is bumpy and absurdly funny, but it makes each of them a better person.