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Happy Times

Play trailer Poster for Happy Times PG 2002 1h 35m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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72% Tomatometer 61 Reviews 78% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Zhao (Benshan Zhao) is a poor, aging bachelor who hasn't had luck in love. Thinking he has finally met the woman of his dreams, he leads her to believe he is wealthy and agrees to a wedding far beyond his means. Desperate for funds, he turns to his friends, who are weary of his fanciful schemes. Zhao's best friend (Xuejian Li) hatches the idea to raise the money by refurbishing an abandoned bus they will rent out by the hour - the Happy Times Hotel - to young couples starved for privacy.

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Happy Times

Happy Times

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Critics Consensus

One of Zhang's smaller films, Happy Times is nevertheless moving and bittersweet.

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Critics Reviews

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Susan Stark Detroit News 10/11/2002
3/4
A provocative, touching, surprising and obliquely illuminating piece. Go to Full Review
Jason Korsner BBC.com 09/23/2002
4/5
Zhang Yimou delivers warm, genuine characters who lie not through dishonesty, but because they genuinely believe it's the only way to bring happiness to their loved ones. Go to Full Review
Janice Page Boston Globe 09/20/2002
3/4
Not a film to rival To Live, but a fine little amuse-bouche to keep your appetite whetted. Go to Full Review
David Walsh World Socialist Web Site 02/16/2021
Happy Times has attractive qualities. As always, Zhang has presided over a carefully and beautifully crafted production. Pictorial clarity and accuracy are his watchwords. Go to Full Review
Christopher Null Filmcritic.com 03/09/2004
3.5/5
Marcy Dermansky About.com 10/24/2003
2.5/5
Jie Dong, who makes her film debut as the blind and unwanted Little Wu, is thin, tough and heartbreakingly lovely. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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06/28/2014 Muy linda historia, simple y divertida. Super recomendada See more 02/29/2012 I always like to say something positive to begin a review but with this film, I find it very difficult to find some redeeming qualities. The idea has potential but the movie never gains momentum in any meaningful direction. A man desperate to marry makes up all kinds of lies to attract a woman and instead gets left to care for her blind stepdaughter. A friendship develops between the step daughter and the man meanwhile the lies to attract the step Mom continues to grow. As we all know, lying isn't the best policy and the story follows the main characters demise. See more 11/24/2010 It is funny enough to ridiculous a thing called love. No matter how hard you try, you'll end up screwing up everything. This old man tries harder than anyone could ever imagine to have something precious in his last age, something he should have tired of for a long time: he tries to be married, in a way he could stage the future. What's he get? Nothing but trouble. He has to keep his head up or he'll lose his long-time-coming lover. He doesn't understand what mutual love is except the sacrifice part. But on the other side, his effort has become a pursuit of hope for another person. Wu Ying, in her own state, can't help but accept that she troubles her step-mother. She hopes to find her father and cure her blindness, but along the way, she learns about being with a true family, Manager Zhao and his friends. She was hopeless and nearly suicidal, but then she gained a new light. The film isn't about comedy at all, but somehow, it isn't about tragedy, too. It is warm enough to let us laugh and calm enough to get us touched. The performance is quite convincing, but the script is not intriguing. Overall, the neo realist film is a fine work, but not Yimou's best. See more 11/23/2010 Happy Times has some of the funniest bits I've seen in a long time. It's also one of the most poignant films I've seen in a while, but maybe I'm easily moved from laughter to tears. For most of the film, I was on a happy and heartfelt ride with a cast of mostly sympathetic characters charmingly dealing with their dilemma. But then, when I was completely involved with the characters and their mutual predicament, and expecting an ending in accord with the comedic tone of the film, Happy Times wasn't funny anymore. In fact, I was surprised to see the credits roll immediately after tragedy struck. Here's a film that needs an alternate ending in the bonus material. Or better yet, just don't watch the last scene and make something up yourself. Trust me, you'll feel better. See more 11/23/2010 simple yet hilariously moving plot set in rural modern China See more 08/03/2010 nice one .. Dong was chosen among 40,000 girls who applied on the internet for the role of a blind girl she's really good at acting.. See more Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Zhao (Benshan Zhao) is a poor, aging bachelor who hasn't had luck in love. Thinking he has finally met the woman of his dreams, he leads her to believe he is wealthy and agrees to a wedding far beyond his means. Desperate for funds, he turns to his friends, who are weary of his fanciful schemes. Zhao's best friend (Xuejian Li) hatches the idea to raise the money by refurbishing an abandoned bus they will rent out by the hour - the Happy Times Hotel - to young couples starved for privacy.
Director
Yimou Zhang
Producer
Qinglong Yang, Weiping Zhang, Yu Zhao, Ping Zhou
Screenwriter
Yan Mo
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co
Guangxi Film Studios
Rating
PG (Language|Thematic Elements)
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
Chinese
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 26, 2002, Wide
Box Office (Gross USA)
$239.1K
Runtime
1h 35m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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