Embracing humor and resilience during their time of despair proves the versatility of a seemingly jovial but ultimately strong-willed, person. That’s certainly true for actress Lyu Xingchen’ protagonist of Xu Lingling in the new drama, Carefree Days.

The new movie, which is presented in Chinese with English subtitles, is adapted from Ban Yu’s 2020 novel, Carefree Journey. Filmmaker Liang Ming wrote the script for, and directed, the screen adaptation. The scribe-helmer and actress infused Xu with a determination to not allow her illness dampen her longing for love.

Carefree Days follows Xu, a 25-year-old woman living in the deteriorating city of Shenyang, China. Her home life has recently become wracked with conflict. Her parents are in the midst of a divorce, and she’s struggling to maintain a job.

While dancing at a club one night, Xu collapses from the stage and is brought to a hospital. She learns she has been afflicted with the medical condition uremia, and her life begins to crumble around her.

While seeking treatment that includes dialysis, Xu’s mother unexpectedly passes away. As a result, Xu reconnects with her distant father, who comes back to care for her. She then has a complete shift in her lifestyle that is seemingly wearing her down.

Xu refuses to let her illness dampen her longing for love and family. Faced with the brutal impermanence of life, she embarks on a solace-seeking road trip. She’s accompanied by her close friend Tan Na (Li Xueqin) and old classmate Zhao Dongyang (Zhao Bingrui).

Tan is struggling with her own personal struggles, including not being able to reach her desired weight loss. She also complains about how her life feels hopeless when it comes to romance. She’s been involved in several bad relationships. While Xu tells her to move on, Tan often falls into the same patterns.

Meanwhile, Xu becomes partial to Zhao, and the duo form a bit of a subtle romance. The duo bond after they reconnect at the funeral parlor where he works following her mother’s death. Along the way, the three friends ponder and confront their existences in the largest city in northeastern China.

The screen adaptation tells a layered story on a thematic level, as it intertwines Xu’s ailment with her home life. The drama poignantly explores the need for both resilience and comedic comfort in times of despair. While Liang’s script surges ahead by the tragic events in Xu’s life, her free spirit liberates her from worldly worry.

Carefree Days starts off plain in its execution while Liang creates the backstory for Xu and her parents and friends. But once the filmmaker sets up the dynamics between the characters, more creative imagery is introduced. That imagery helps propel the pacing, which highlights each scene’s specific tone.

Carefree Days‘ stellar imagery and accompanying emotional tone is brought to life through its cinematography. The intense closeups of Xu, her parents and friends emphasize their struggles to not only find happiness, but also survive. The intimate camerawork that follows Xu in the hospital, her home and on her trip with her friends infuse the story with an extra sense of natural familiarity.

Liang’s writing and direction, and the cast’s performances, create a character study in Carefree Days that’s humbly realistic and hauntingly surreal. While Xu is initially determined to prove her self-sufficiency, the growing severity of her new ailment and subsequent need to rely on her father and friends is a testament to people’s vulnerabilities. With the help of the alluring anesthetic of its cinematography, Xu proves she’s versatile enough to finds a way to survive in even the most desolate of times.

Overall: A-

Carefree Days had its North American Premiere on Thursday, July 18 at Film at Lincoln Center during the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF).

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