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October 16, 2018
Series | Jun Makiguchi's Cinema Full Life: Part 6, Our Times
Series | Jun Makiguchi's Cinema Full Life
Part 6: What We Can Find When Adults Look Back
A Bittersweet, Pure Youth: 'Our Times'
To put a name to one's feelings—how unrefined. There are many kinds of liking, and many kinds of disliking. The human tendency to define things, like first love or pure love, is a flaw. As adults, we become adept at forcing our emotions into existing boxes, convincing ourselves to accept them. Feelings that are difficult to understand, such as liking someone yet finding them annoying, or disliking them yet being unable to stop thinking about them, can be said to be unique to youth. Perhaps this is why we look back with a touch of wistful fondness on those younger days when we could harbor such bittersweet emotions. The film 'Our Times,' a massive hit in Taiwan in the summer of 2015, surpassing even 'Spectre,' is a masterpiece of youth cinema that depicts precisely those young days.
Text by JUN MAKIGUCHI
Remembering Those Days, Stepping Forward from Today
In present-day Taiwan, Lin True, an ordinary office worker in her late twenties, is overwhelmed by work, struggling to find time for fashion or dating. One exhausting evening, a question from the radio—"Do you like the person you are now?"—prompts her to recall her high school days. She remembers when she was obsessed with the popular 90s artist Andy Lau, when everything seemed to shine with hope for the future, and when she thought of him.
Her thoughts drift back to high school. Lin True, unremarkable and largely ignored by boys, dreams of marrying Hong Kong star Andy Lau. She also admires Ouyang, the handsome, all-around talented top student.
One day, she sends a "cursed letter" meant for herself to Tai-Yu, the school's notorious delinquent, inadvertently drawing his attention. What begins as a seemingly subservient relationship soon evolves as they grow to understand each other and become unexpectedly close. Through her interactions with Tai-Yu, Lin True begins to change and eventually captures the attention of other students. She also finds herself unexpectedly approached by Ouyang...
The handsome prince and the wild delinquent. A girl caught between them, her heart in turmoil. While this situation might seem like a staple of youth films, it masterfully captures the frustrating immaturity of not being able to recognize one's true feelings and make a decision. Why does she find herself thinking of Tai-Yu when she's getting along with Ouyang? Why does she feel sad when Tai-Yu talks to other girls? And what is the real reason she feels compelled to defend Tai-Yu, who is so often misunderstood?
Having experienced various encounters and romances, and now able to view such situations with perspective, one might understand the true nature of those wavering feelings. One might also think, "Why couldn't I realize back then that the person I was so fixated on was the one I truly loved?" or "I should have just confessed my feelings." But at that time, that was the best one could do.
Having gone through a poignant love, one arrives at who they are today. If one can feel this way, then even an unfulfilled first love can become not just a distant memory, but a valuable experience that signifies growth. This film reminds us that as adults, we can finally confront the feelings we couldn't grasp and the words we couldn't say back then. Lin True, disheartened by her inability to become the ideal woman, finds courage in her memories of her younger self and Tai-Yu, and takes a new step forward.
This film portrays a bittersweet, pure youth that can only be discovered when adults look back. It is only now that we can recognize what a precious love that was, and how regrettable it is to let such important feelings simply pass by. It's about time we realized the importance of living in the present.
The message of this film is not simply to indulge in memories of youth.
"By remembering who I was back then, I can take a step forward from my current stagnant self."
The surprise gift for Lin True at the end of the film encourages all adults, as if saying just that.
****
A quality youth film enjoyable for adults too. The nostalgic 90s Taiwan reminiscent of the Showa era, and the music are wonderful!
Our Times
Producer: Yeh Jufeng Director: Frankie Chen
Starring: Vivian Sung, Darren Wang, Dino Lee / Special Appearances: Andy Lau, Joe Chen, Jerry Yan
Original Title: 我的少女時代 / English Title: Our Times
Distribution: Kokoro wo Ugokasu Eigasha Co., Ltd.
Now playing nationwide starting November 26 (Saturday) at Shinjuku Musashinokan and other theaters.
©2015 Hualien Media Intl. Co., Ltd ,Spring Thunder Entertainment, Huace Pictures, Co., Ltd., Focus Film Limited
JUN MAKIGUCHI
After working for Kyodo News, a film festival secretariat, and magazine editing, she became an independent writer. She currently writes film columns and interviews for women's and men's magazines, focusing on lifestyle topics such as fashion, food, and music seen on screen.