Her Story (Chinese: 好东西; pinyin: Hǎo dōngxi; lit. "Good Things") is a 2024 Chinese comedy-drama film directed by Shao Yihui. The film stars Song Jia, Zhong Chuxi, Zeng Mumei, and Zhang Yu. The story is about Wang Tiemei, a single mother, and her child, who move into a new home. They meet their neighbor, Xiao Ye. Wang Tiemei and Xiao Ye, who have different personalities, develop a special friendship.
The film was released on November 22, 2024. It received high praise from critics for its screenplay, direction, and acting performances.
Plot
Set in Shanghai, the film follows Wang Tiemei, a determined single mother raising her daughter, Wang Moli, while dealing with personal and emotional problems. After moving into a new home, she meets her neighbor, Xiao Ye, who is gentle and intuitive. This is different from Wang Tiemei’s practical way of handling life. Despite their differences, they become close friends and help each other through difficult times.
Wang Tiemei struggles with her past, especially because her ex-husband interferes in her life. His actions make it hard for her to keep her daughter safe and stable. His presence forces her to face feelings she has not dealt with and think about her future. At the same time, Xiao Ye helps Wang Tiemei see relationships and self-worth in a new way, encouraging her to accept change.
As Wang Moli becomes more interested in music, her drumming teacher, Xiao Ma, brings new opportunities into Wang Tiemei’s life. His kindness and understanding challenge Wang Tiemei’s cautious attitude, making her think about her goals beyond being a mother. Alongside Xiao Ye’s support, Xiao Ma helps Wang Tiemei rethink her future and her ability to find happiness on her own.
Over time, Wang Tiemei’s ex-husband and Xiao Ma also change. They slowly learn the importance of treating each other with respect and fairness. Their changes affect Wang Tiemei and Xiao Ye’s journeys and add to the story’s message about understanding and growth.
Through their experiences, Wang Tiemei and Xiao Ye talk about identity, roles in society, and the power to make choices. As they face expectations from others, they gain confidence to express their wishes and reshape their relationships. The film shows how people grow and change, showing how relationships help people learn about themselves.
Cast
Song Jia as Wang Tiemei: Wang Tiemei is a smart and self-reliant single mother who balances caring for her child, building her career, and managing daily tasks. She was once a successful journalist but left that job to become the head of a new media company. She also works in live-streaming sales. As an independent woman, she believes she can succeed in all areas of life and follows the traditional idea of being a strong and capable woman.
Zhong Chuxi as Xiao Ye: Xiao Ye is the lead singer of a band. She seems carefree but struggles with understanding love. She strongly believes in romance and often gives more in relationships than she receives. She can be emotionally unstable, impulsive, and reacts strongly to stress.
Zeng Mumei as Wang Moli: Wang Moli is a 9-year-old girl who wrote "no longer fantasizing" in her school essay. She is Tiemei’s daughter and is known as "Kid Sister." Though she appears calm, she is independent. She learns to play the drums but does not want to perform on stage or follow the usual path of becoming a famous success story. She shares honest thoughts about the adult world that adults often hide behind nice words.
Zhang Yu as Xiao Ma: Xiao Ma is Wang Moli’s drum teacher. He competes with Tiemei’s ex-husband for her attention. He claims to know everything about Tiemei’s past work, but his feelings for her are not purely romantic.
Mark Chao as Wang Tiemei’s ex-husband: Tiemei’s ex-husband seems cheerful and friendly, but he is actually sensitive and thoughtful. To win Tiemei back, he studies books by Chizuko Ueno, but his actions often do not match his words.
Ren Bin as Xiao Hu: Xiao Hu is a doctor and the person Xiao Ye loves. He is drawn to dangerous relationships. At first, he seems very attractive, but he later shows selfish behavior. When Xiao Ye is hurt by love, he says things like, "Loving me is enough," which are embarrassing.
Production
On 18 March 2024, the film started filming in Shanghai. On the same day, the concept poster for the film was released.
This film is connected to director Shao Yihui’s 2021 film B for Busy. Both films focus on themes such as "centering women’s perspectives" and "addressing women’s struggles." They also share the message that "loving the world begins with loving oneself."
When asked about similarities and differences between Her Story and B for Busy, director Shao Yihui said the films are similar because they avoid intense drama and are based on everyday life. She explained that Her Story focuses more on showing women’s unique life experiences, which are different from men’s. The film aims to show how modern independent women live, find happiness, and create meaning and value in their lives. Shao Yihui has stated publicly that she is not interested in creating "gender antagonism."
On 25 October, the film released a playful teaser called "Fun Story" and a series of relationship posters titled "So Close." On 29 October, Her Story was included in Alibaba Pictures’ 2024 film lineup. On 1 November, a director’s cut featurette titled "Define by Yourself" was released. A relationship featurette called "Fully Matured Love" was released on 5 November. A special video titled "Bringing Joy" was released on 11 November, starting advance ticket sales and limited screenings in 64 cities from 16 to 17 November. As the release date approached, the final trailer titled "Whatever" and the final poster titled "Live Your Best Life" were released on 18 November. A special titled "Pure Joy" was released on 20 November. The film premiered in Beijing the same month, and a promotional roadshow was held in Chengdu on 19 November. New posters were unveiled on 22 November.
Themes
Her Story challenges common ideas about how women are shown in movies by focusing on women's ability to make their own choices. The film tells its story from the viewpoints of women, showing their thoughts, needs, and goals. It presents women not only as people who take part in events but also as people who create new ways of thinking, moving away from difficult situations like unfair family rules, abuse at home, challenges faced by women who stay at home, sexual violence, unfair treatment at work, and other forms of harm. The story also shows how strong women and men who are not confident can interact, with women leading the way in shaping their own lives and the lives of others. The film also shows how relationships are based on mutual agreement, fairness, shared involvement, and happiness.
Feminism is a difficult topic for Chinese media to handle. However, the film’s director, Shao Yihui, is not stopped by this challenge. She says, “This film connects with topics that are popular among young people in China who use the internet. It talks about issues like romantic relationships, the stigma around menstruation, the work women do in families, and the importance of agreement in relationships. It encourages people to stop following old rules.”
Zhu Ying, the author of Hollywood in China: behind the scenes of the world’s largest movie market, says, “More attention is now being given to women as an important group of moviegoers. This creates more chances for women directors in an industry that has mostly been run by men. Recognizing the power women have in spending money gives women more influence over how their stories are told, which will change the Chinese film industry for a long time.”
In Her Story, the way single motherhood is shown is different from old stories that focus on struggle and bravery. Instead of showing the hard parts of being a parent or fighting against life’s challenges, the film shows Wang Tiemei living her life in her own way and having equal conversations with her child. The story suggests that mothers and children should not depend on each other but should support and understand one another. It shows that single mothers do not have to live sad lives; they can follow their own dreams and work toward their goals.
The release of Her Story is an important and brave step for Chinese cinema, as it focuses on stories about women. It shows the many different kinds of women today and encourages people to think again about what roles women should have. The mix of simple, fun stories with serious social issues makes the film stand out. “The growing interest in stories about women shows a change in culture, with women’s stories and voices becoming more important in China’s entertainment industry,” said Tiger Pictures.
Set in Shanghai, Her Story shows the city’s true mix of different cultures and lifestyles. People from many backgrounds live together peacefully, with few rules about personal choices unless they use the internet. As a global city, Shanghai offers many job opportunities and attracts people from all over the world who want to achieve their dreams. Wang Tiemei, a woman who moved to Shanghai after her marriage ended, chooses to stay in the city. Her job as an investigative journalist is hard, but she finds a place for herself and looks for new chances to grow.
Her Story not only shows women who are becoming more independent but also shows how men are changing as society moves toward equality. Some men are shown trying to leave behind old ideas about what men should do, but they still struggle with the pressures and identity problems that come with those old roles.
Marketing
The release of Her Story was part of a citywide campaign called "Love Shanghai – Travel with the Movie," organized by the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism. The campaign combined Shanghai’s cultural and business areas by working with local businesses, transportation, and activities that involved the public.
A Her Story city guide was given out at certain places. It included a map showing where the movie was filmed, movie postcards, and special offers from partner businesses. A few people had the chance to win tickets to the Shanghai Biennale, which were given by the Power Station of Art, a location where the film was shot.
Promotional activities included a pop-up truck placed at CITIC Square on Nanjing West Road on the film’s opening day. Some businesses gave special deals to people who showed their movie tickets. Lady Huaihai, TX Huaihai Youth Energy Center, and Huaihai 755 on Huaihai Road offered unique benefits, while Shanghai Jiushi Art Museum gave discounts on tickets. The campaign also included themed buses and a special edition Shanghai transportation card with Her Story designs.
Shanghai Film Co., Ltd., which is part of the Shanghai Film Group, helped distribute the film. Its SFC EVENTS team worked on promotions with help from the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism. About 200 to 300 copies of the Her Story booklet were given out during the first weekend at different locations. More copies were planned. People could use their regular movie tickets to get discounts at participating businesses.
At the Shanghai Film Studio 75th Anniversary Festival on November 23, Dai Yun, General Manager of Shanghai Film Co., Ltd., said that Her Story had an opening day theater attendance rate in Shanghai that was twice as high as the average in the country.
Release
The film was released in the United States, Canada, and other countries on 22 November 2024. It first showed in the United States and Canada on 28 November, then in the United Kingdom on 29 November. In Australia and New Zealand, the film was shown in theaters by Little Monster Entertainment on 28 November. In Singapore, Golden Village released the film on the same date. In Malaysia, Mega Films Distribution showed the film on 8 December. In China, the film earned $77 million in movie theaters from its release until 11 December, which was more money than the film Moana 2. On Douban, the film Her Story received a score of 92.2%, showing that it was well-received and praised by audiences.
Reception
On Douban, a popular Chinese media rating platform, the film Her Story first received a high score of 9.1. However, over time, this score dropped slightly to 8.9. On Hupu, the film received much more negative feedback, with a score of only 4.7 out of 10. Many users on this platform were disappointed, especially those who expected exciting action and fast-paced stories like those in big Hollywood films. Some critics also said the film showed unfair treatment of male characters and suggested the director focused too much on gender conflicts, leading to differences in how audiences from different places reacted to the film.
Weixing Huang from China Youth Daily said that Her Story includes many complex themes. While it is not a perfect film, it is still a strong example of realistic storytelling that shows women’s lives and deals with issues like relationships between men and women and raising children. The film uses a warm and open style to connect with viewers. In a press release at the end of the film, Wang Tiemei said, “We are optimistic and confident enough to face difficult situations.” Compared to other films in its genre, Her Story uses a more cheerful and funny storytelling style. It honestly talks about difficult topics but does so gently, showing how everyday life can help people heal and understand important ideas.
Internationally, on IMDb, Her Story has a score of 7.7 out of 10, which shows that people around the world generally like the film. This score suggests that the film’s creative ideas and deep themes have been well-received outside of China. Belle Wong from the Singapore Film Society said that Her Story is a feminist film that shows women’s struggles with hope and humor. This makes it easier for people in places like China to understand and discuss these themes. The film uses comedy to connect with a wide audience, helping men and women of all ages talk about important issues. While other films, like Like a Rolling Stone (2024), focus on women’s growth, Her Story goes further by showing how women can change the world after finding strength. With humor, depth, and emotion, Her Story argues that it is time for women to create new rules and support each other in a new era of power.
The Chinese publication The Sixth Tone and the British newspaper The Guardian said that Her Story is China’s answer to the 2023 Hollywood film Barbie. Yang Xiaolin, director of the Film Research Institute at Tongji University, said the film’s popularity comes from its close look at everyday life, making it a fresh example of realistic storytelling. He noted that the film shows the present without exaggeration, focusing on the lives of ordinary people, especially young and middle-aged “new Shanghainese.” However, Yang also said the film left out male characters intentionally, creating a story where women are shown as victims of harm or discrimination in a society led by men. This made the conflict between genders stronger by favoring one side and blaming the other. Fang Xiaoya from China Daily wrote that the film honestly and warmly shows women’s experiences, helping the audience imagine a world where women can shape their own futures.
According to Maoyan Professional Edition, Her Story has done much better than other films like Gladiator 2 and Casanova in online engagement. The latest data shows that Her Story leads in total audience reach, TikTok views, Weibo reads, and Xiaohongshu post interactions.
By December 2, Her Story had reached 4.132 billion people, almost 20 times more than the combined total of the other four films. On TikTok, topics about the film had over 1.56 billion views, far more than its competitors. On Weibo, the film not only had more views but also topped the list of trending search topics. On Xiaohongshu, the film created a lot of interest, with over 13 million posts using the tag “Her Story Easter egg.” These posts highlight the film’s references to feminism, such as characters dressing as famous feminists like Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Frida Kahlo, and using quotes from leaders like Chizuko Ueno and Gloria Steinem. This creative choice encouraged fans to watch the film again to find all the hidden details.
Wendy Huang from What's On Weibo said that the success of Her Story, the conversations it started, and its focus on women’s stories in film show how cinema is changing. It also shows how women are becoming more powerful in industries that have been mostly controlled by men.