Better Days (2019) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film is set in a contemporary Chinese city, depicting urban school life and the social dynamics among students. The story unfolds across high schools, police stations, and apartment buildings that shape the characters' decisions and daily struggles.

• chinese city
• urban setting
• school environment

Better Things takes place in late 2010s China, during the contemporary era of exam culture and modern schooling. The film reflects current social concerns about youth violence and academic pressure.

• contemporary
• late 2010s
• modern china

The gaokao, China's national college entrance exam, represents the overwhelming pressure that defines the characters' lives. This exam system drives much of the film's tension, as academic achievement is seen as the primary path to a better future for students like Chen Nian.

• gaokao
• exam pressure
• college entrance

The film portrays bullying as a destructive force that escalates from social exclusion and rumors to physical assault and public humiliation. It illustrates how power dynamics among students isolate victims and cause long-term damage to their sense of safety and dignity.

• bullying
• school violence
• social dynamics

Sacrifice is depicted through Xiao Bei's drastic decision to take the blame for Wei Lai's death, acting to protect Chen Nian. This act reveals the cost of courage in a ruthless environment, where the protagonists must weigh personal safety against the chance at a future.

• sacrifice
• protection
• loyalty

The film critiques a flawed system where investigations and confessions can be manipulated to fit a predetermined narrative. It shows how society punishes both perpetrators and witnesses, while suggesting the need for policy changes to address bullying.

• justice
• system
• criminal investigation

Chen Nian is a resilient high school student who endures relentless bullying while striving for academic success. She seeks safety and a path to college, with her ultimate goal being to study in Beijing and escape the cycle of oppression she faces.

• chen nian
• protagonist
• student
• bullying victim

Xiao Bei, also known as Liu Beishan, is a teenage thug who becomes Chen Nian's protector. Despite his criminal involvement, he shows deep loyalty and courage, eventually making a life-altering sacrifice to shield her from the consequences of the film's central tragedy.

• xiao bei
• liu beishan
• protector
• thug

Hu Xiaodie is Chen Nian's classmate who dies by suicide due to bullying. Her death serves as the catalyst for the murder investigation and fuels the film's critique of toxic school culture, driving the narrative forward.

• hu xiaodie
• suicide
• bullying victim
• catalyst

Wei Lai is the school's queen bee and central bully whose actions trigger the chain of events in the film. Her role represents the滥用 power dynamics in school and initiates the escalation of violence that engulfs multiple characters.

• wei lai
• bully
• queen bee
• antagonist

The modern Chinese urban setting emphasizes the intense pressures of education, reputation, and survival. The city environment creates a backdrop where academic achievement is paramount and social hierarchies are sharply defined, amplifying the stakes for all characters.

• urban environment
• modern city
• social pressure