那些年 那个女孩

where do i start. 那些年 was neither the best shot nor written (as a film), but it was surely my most cathartic film in a while.

audiences and critics across the region had raved about how the content's so close to heart - a story of our younger days, and that girl who meant everything.

i was a little fearful, i admit, given the past ive had. indeed, i cant put it in any other way but concede that the content's closest to my heart.

they were right. it's like watching a film about your own life.

-spoiler alert-

expect no happy ending. some call it bittersweet, but im not too sure. after all, 那些年 is giddens' biographical work, and it stayed true to how reality pans out, not just in his story, but most of ours as well.

maybe that's what makes it work. no Hollywood fairytale here. just the hard-hitting fact that the one might not be the one, and circumstances are often out of our control.

not sure who wrote the screenplay, but i guess 那些年 works better as the novel it originally is, for now. the film doesn exactly follow the arc of a typical film, especially its chronological telling and the lack of a tense climax.

but yes, it's been said many times, this is life. giddens tells his story as it is, from high school to college and beyond. it's in fact just a sequence of incidents through the characters' lives, monkeying in class or dreaming about the future.

the initial setup already captured me. boy and girl sit side by side in class, things happen and sparks fly. of course it gives me goosebumps to talk about it now, but i look back fondly, because it did happen to me.

(plus the trailer and all also seemed to hint at lost love, which drew me more)

but like all good films and stories, there is much more than an "initial setup". eventually 那些年 struck many more chords.

the story of 柯景腾 and 沈佳宜 is, well, bittersweet. they liked each other, but due to mishaps along the way, although they shared beautiful moments, they never materialised as a couple.

for example, he never properly declared his love for her, despite his pursuit. she never reciprocated the right signals. and they never got over their many points of friction.

in other words, it's a case of raw, unpolished love.

the sky lantern scene devastated me. he refused her answer, afraid a rejection would end his desire to continue liking her forever. it was immature and fatal. she, for her part, decided to hold back her true feelings. mistakes on both sides started the ominous path to their eventual split.

the right thing to do would be to take a leap of faith, but in real life we seldom do right.

the sky lantern, an authentic Taiwanese icon for wish-making, told it best. on 柯景腾's side was his confession, on 沈佳宜's side was her "yes" answer. none saw each other's wish.

but furthering this, their story is also about a lifelong affection and care for each other. they continued a bond years down the road, because, well, truth is, you dont fall out of love with someone. she remained that very important girl to him, and in his words, she'll always represent his 青春, always be 那个他追的女孩. and in a positive take, 他说她一定要幸福, 因为她是他很重要的一段回忆, 而他打算保留好这段回忆.

anyway. regarding the opening scene, i admit i was semi-fooled they were getting married, but i also flirted with the possibility he was marrying someone else, not 沈佳宜.

oh well.

and call me a bitch but i got excited at giddens' homage to jay chou. first was the public announcement in school, using 三年二班's opening. then years later, 双节棍, which was released in 2001 and according to the film's timeline is a contemporary, was used as soundtrack.

the standout performer, without a doubt, is 陈妍希. i was hands-down enthralled by her cry scene upon receiving her pre-college grades. she fully deserves her 金马奖 nomination for this performance.

so there you go. gonna end off with my favourite dialogue in the film, which also in those few words rise above what we may assume and magnify the tender calm of the story.

柯景腾: 你相信有平行时空吗? 也许在另一个平行时空里 我们是在一起的.

沈佳宜: 真羡慕他们呢 谢谢你喜欢我.

my last word: i think in looking backward, 那些年 is an attempt to help us look forward. you learn the lessons of life, and love better. you right your regrets. not least as a tribute to 那个女孩, who helped shape who you are today.