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Back to the Good Times

Name: Back to the Good Times
Director: Qu You-ning
Released: 2018
Duration: 119 min

Representation Score

4.4/10

Fair

2018

Director

Qu You-ning

Runtime

119 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Back to the Good Times is a character-driven comedy that examines the tension between personal romantic desires and traditional family expectations. It successfully presents a culturally specific Taiwanese perspective while avoiding Western-centric clichés, using domestic dysfunction to propel the narrative. However, the film does not explicitly represent LGBTQ+ identities or disabilities. While it critiques rigid social structures, it maintains a homogeneous cast within a specific regional demographic. Overall, the film serves as an exploration of modern familial tensions, focusing on interpersonal conflict rather than strict adherence to traditional religious or social norms.

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Category Breakdown

Does Back to the Good Times have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The story focuses on the romantic tension between Hwa Jia and Wei. Although their relationship challenges family norms, there is no clear indication of queer-coded identities.

How does Back to the Good Times portray gender?

Fair

Female characters play a crucial role in driving the central tension, especially Wei and her parents. Their influence compels the protagonist to confront issues of social standing and domestic turmoil.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Back to the Good Times?

Fair

The film offers a genuine Taiwanese perspective, emphasizing a non-Anglo-Saxon viewpoint. However, the cast and setting remain consistent within this specific regional identity.

How does Back to the Good Times represent religion and culture?

Fair

Traditional memorial rituals provide a backdrop for social conflict. The film employs these customs to highlight the chaos and dysfunction within the family unit.

Does Back to the Good Times include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no evidence of the portrayal of physical or neurodivergent disabilities in this film.

Present on Screen

Offers an authentic, non-Western cultural perspective through its Taiwanese setting.
Challenges traditional patriarchal stability by highlighting female-driven conflict.
Uses comedy to explore the tension between personal desires and social expectations.

Limited or Absent

Lacks explicit representation of LGBTQ+ identities or queer-coded characters.
Provides no visible representation of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.
Maintains a homogeneous cast within a specific regional demographic.

Official Synopsis

Nearly a year has gone by since the passing of Grandma, and the Zheng family is busy preparing for memorial rituals. Hwa Jia (Crowd Lu) gets discharged from military service and happily reunites with Wei (Vera Yen). The next morning, Wei's parents catch them in bed together and flip out. Wei's angry parents confront Hwa Jia's family, and the whole meeting turns into a farcical mess. Faced with an unprecedented crisis, Hwa Jia must figure out how to save himself and his family. Part of TTV's acclaimed Qseries imprint, the quirky and moving family series A Boy Named Flora A (2017) turned into one of Taiwan's biggest television hits of 2017. The cast and crew return with more family love and laughs in the 2018 feature film Back to the Good Times (2018), directed by Yu Ning Chu. Released during the Chinese New Year period, the film follows the post-military life of protagonist Hwa Jia, played by popular singer-songwriter Crowd Lu

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