Reasons why ‘Our Times’ is still my top-tier RomCom movie
Have you ever watched a movie that, although having been told countless times before, yet manages to capture the essence of first love and later heartbreak? Or a tale that altered your perspective on love and made you want a close understanding? Or a storyline that was so remarkable that it would slip out from your memories? I guess I do because I still suggest “Our Times” for every movie night!
It may seem cliché to some, but trust me when I say that the story of Hsu Taiyu (played by Darren Wang), who is thought of as a “bad guy,” and the average nerdy Truly Lin (portrayed by Vivian Sung), is worth a watch.
And these are the reasons why the movie “Our Times” is still my all-time favorite and on top of my romantic-comedy genre list.
(PS: I’ll do my best to avoid giving away any spoilers!)
1. The smooth blending of a coming-of-age story and a teen romance-comedy story
In “Our Times,” the grown-up Truly (played by Joe Chen) reflected on her time as a high school student. The parts of a young romance-comedy and coming-of-age story have fit together like puzzle pieces.
Crushes, friendships, sacrifices, efforts, breakups, and that timely chain message. Unquestionably, everything has been balanced and poured into the story.
2. The chemistry of Truly Lim and Hsu Tai Yu
I find myself wanting to rewatch it over and over again because of the chemistry between Tai Yu and Truly. The unusual couple’s exceptional chemistry brought the viewers to their feet and created a sense of connection that was so genuine that it seemed impossible to fake.
It could be due to the fact that Tai Yu represents a resident bad boy whereas Truly is the embodiment of innocence. The chemistry between these two characters is unquestionable, and my final verdict says that they really look cute together!
3. The highlight of natural acting
It is impressive how soon the cast of “Our Times” formed a strong emotional bond. Every single character, whether through their body language, facial emotions, or dialogue exchanges, contributed to the smooth transition between each scene in the movie.
As an adult, watching the characters represent their youthful selves would make you long to return to happy recollections of high school.
Vivian Sung had a relatable way of portraying herself as a fangirl and as a clumsy student. She gave her character a natural and genuine development that made her wonderfully lovable. On the other hand, Darren Wang took on the challenge of carefully changing from the tough guy of the school to a genuinely good Tai Yu who has a soft spot for Truly.
4. Aesthetically pleasing memory lane of the 90s
The movie brought us back in time as it centers on the memories of a grownup Truly. The scene is an accurate representation of high school in the 1990s.
The creative sets accurately reflected Taiwan’s history. Examples include the experiences of students who studied in various cafés (and McDonald’s) and Taiwan’s unauthorized movie theaters from the 1990s. At the same time, the stylist should be recognized for how they helped us understand 1990s fashion trends. They were charming and vibrant, and they undoubtedly awakened a deep memory that we were unaware we had.
‘Our Times’ also showed how communication was different from what it is today. Due to technological advancement, communication was not always as simple as it is now, thus they had different methods of interaction. This, in my opinion, is actually lovely.
5. Too much physical contact was not needed to give butterflies in your stomach
I personally want to bring up this point but it might not apply to everyone. So take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, or take nothing at all.
It’s cute because Truly and Tai Yu’s feelings are already obvious to everyone except themselves. As previously said, their chemistry is undeniable even in the absence of excessive physical contact. There weren’t many of them, but I’m not at all upset about it because it doesn’t take away from the romance aspect of the movie.
However, the two continued to express their love for one another using their own love languages. Like Tai Yu, who cherished giving presents and doing acts of service. While Truly never fails to provide words of affirmation and quality time. Oh, to be in love.
‘Our Times’ is indeed a movie that you can watch to have a light moment of your life. These are the reasons why I’m still going back to this very moment as it personally gave me that “break time” from reality.
If you have not seen this movie yet, you’re probably missing out on the RomCom experience – go ahead and give it a watch!
