Zhe me duo nian

The acting and visuals were great, but I think the story really shone through here. This movie was less about romance, and more about the pains of growing up and learning to find your footing in a world that constantly tries to tear you down.

The protagonist, Chen Jianxia, is a realistic and compelling character that you can't help but root for. Her family troubles with her mother who's constantly favouring her younger brother, and her desire to succeed in academics and make a name for herself is really captivating. She's a well-balanced character who's soft-hearted and compassionate, but also grows to be tough and able to stand for herself. The male lead, Li Ran, is funny, sweet, and devoted. He's really the ultimate hype-man. Together, you can't help but root for their friendship and eventual love. Even their relationship turmoil and realistic and portrayed in a mature manner. And their eventual reunion and reconciliation is beautifully built up to and developed on both sides.

The movie is a bit fast-paced, but every character got their time to shine. It does a great job of showing how circumstances can affect a person's future and their choices. A lot of the important scenes from the novel got cut, but for a movie that spans over a decade - I think the producers did a great job in capturing all the triumphs and challenges, emotion and character depths. Overall, great movie.