The film "Good Things," set to officially release on November 22, has already gained a solid reputation after two rounds of advance screenings over the past two weekends. On November 18, the film received an impressive score of 9.1 on Douban, and following a grand premiere in Beijing that evening, it garnered unanimous acclaim from industry professionals and audiences alike.
Directed and written by Shao Yihui, who also served as the editing supervisor, the film stars Song Jia, Zhong Chuxi, and Zeng Mumei. The story revolves around three fun, lovable, and quirky “female characters,” exploring the bold yet absurd new types of relationships between urban men and women. It humorously and vigorously addresses gender issues through life's bright and dim fragments, composing a light and lively dance tune.
Since its first weekend of advance screenings on November 9, "Good Things" has been highly praised for its unique humor and warm, healing emotional core. Its novel storyline, vibrant performances, and a mix of laughter and tears, coupled with a relaxed and introspective attitude, give the film a very "spiritual" feel. On the day it received a 9.1 score on Douban, Shao Yihui and Zhong Chuxi were actively promoting the film on Weibo, and the two creators were moved to tears in an embrace. Currently, nearly 60,000 users have rated the film highly on Douban, with a remarkable 62.8% giving it five stars. Such accomplishments are rare in the film market.
The premiere of "Good Things" in Beijing
During the Beijing premiere on the evening of November 18, actor Zhang Ruoyun, among the audience, candidly expressed his admiration, calling it "the best domestic film I've seen this year." His full quote was, "It's a super good, super cool, super cute thing. While watching, I wondered how the director came up with something so brilliant! Hua Jie (Song Jia) also said that during filming, it didn't feel like a comedy, yet I ended up laughing uncontrollably. It shouldn’t be simply categorized as a comedy; it’s incredibly real, much like that '90% absurd' outfit—this film presents a lot of absurd yet completely real aspects from a female perspective, revealing profound realities with a very light-hearted attitude."
Several female directors in attendance echoed each other's sentiments, showering praise. Li Shaohong stated that it exceeded her expectations, believing it to be a work that can elevate discussions about female topics. "There are many films addressing women's issues, but 'Good Things' uniquely discusses new topics related to feminism, showcasing the state and situations of modern women in our reality." Director Liu Jiayin remarked, "I was truly laughing from start to finish. We were just all laughing; this film is fantastic—entertaining and brilliantly crafted, capturing what people usually want to express." Li Yu, director of "Wild Kids," shared that she experienced "both tears and laughter" during the screening. "I believe humor is a powerful force, but the topics behind it are very serious. The director's creativity is astonishing." She also highly praised the film's male characters, noting, "Zhang Yu always brings a sense of unfamiliarity to his roles. I don't know how often you encounter conversations about gender, but I find the way these topics are expressed here is very interesting—they feel like they belong in the movie itself."
For ordinary viewers, feelings such as "refreshingly unconventional, realistically vibrant—it's simply delightful to have such an easy-going and pleasant film to lighten life at the end of the year," and "the friendship among the women in the film is healing" resonate as they exit the theater, along with comments like, "It’s such a happiness to raise daughters together with my best friends." More and more audience members are sharing their thoughts about having seen a "good thing" on social media after leaving the cinema.
With the positive reception further building, the film announced a large-scale additional screening from November 18 to November 21. The screenings will take place daily from 18:00 to 22:00, covering numerous first- and second-tier cities nationwide, including major markets like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, as well as cities like Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Xi’an, Nanjing, and Tianjin.
As of November 19, "Good Things" ranked as the top film of the day at the box office with a 3% share of screenings, and this leading momentum is expected to continue through to the official release this weekend. Currently, the film's box office has surpassed 17 million.
