Some stories grab the viewer by the arm and pull them right into the heart of darkness, making them question whether it's possible to get out. This production, which has left its mark on recent years of Chinese cinema, offers exactly such an experience. Taking shape in the hands of director Derek Tsang, Good Days goes beyond being a superficial youth drama and turns into a story of people trapped on the edge of the system. The Gaokao exam, placed at the center of the film, makes even Turkish viewers deeply aware of how great a source of oppression it is for Chinese society. In this system where the futures of millions of young people are attempted to be condensed into two days, an atmosphere prevails in which everything is ignored in the name of success. Bullying also thrives within this atmosphere; it persists as a form of violence that is ignored, silenced, and buried under shame. The characters portrayed by Zhou Dongyu and Jackson Yee on screen represent different kinds of vulnerabilities. While one was crushed by the pressure of societal success, the other had to confront the street reality that life taught them too early. The unexpected rapprochement between these two broken souls forms the film's most powerful and poignant layer. The script portrays this relationship realistically and delicately, without romanticizing it; it doesn't offer the audience an easily granted hope. Image management is also one of the most important elements that feed the spirit of the film. Cramped frames, dim corridors, rainy streets... All these choices masterfully convey the characters' desperation through visual language. The film's tension is constantly kept high; the audience both wants to know and fears what will happen in the next scene. Good Days presents a universal story that tells a harsh critique of the Chinese education system and social oppression on the one hand, and on the other hand, a person's need to hold on to someone even in the most difficult conditions. It is no coincidence that it represented Hong Kong in the Oscar race; for the film meets the highest standards of cinema both technically and emotionally. A disturbing yet essential work that lingers in the mind for a long time after watching.