Hi, Mom (2021 film)

Hi, Mom
Promotional poster
Traditional Chinese你好，李煥英
Simplified Chinese你好，李焕英
Literal meaningHello, Li Huanying
Directed byJia Ling
Written by
Starring
Production
companies
Distributed by
  • China Film Co., Ltd.
  • Tianjin Maoyan Weiying Culture Media
  • Beijing Jingcai Time Culture Media
  • Shanghai Ruyi Film & TV Production, Ltd.
Release date
  • 12 February 2021 (2021-02-12) (China)
Running time
128 minutes
CountryChina
LanguageMandarin
BudgetRMB 380 million[1]
(US$59 million)
Box officeUS$841.7 million[2][3]

Hi, Mom (Chinese: 你好，李焕英; pinyin: Nǐ hǎo, Lǐ Huànyīng; lit. 'Hello', ' Li Huanying') is a 2021 Chinese comedy film written, directed by and starring Jia Ling. It co-stars Zhang Xiaofei, Shen Teng, and Chen He. It is the first film directed by Jia Ling; a semi-autobiographical fantasy story about a young woman who is suddenly thrown back in time to the year 1981, where she meets her mother and develops a bond of sisterhood with her.[4] The film's themes include familial love, maternal love, and filial piety.[5][6][7] It was released on 12 February 2021 (Chinese New Year).[8][9]

The film has grossed US$848 million at the box office, making it the third-highest-grossing film of 2021, the third-highest-grossing non-English film of all time, and the highest-grossing film by a solo female director until Barbie in 2023.[10] The film received positive reviews, with word of mouth contributing to its popularity.[11][12][13] In addition, the film also won the honor of excellent film at the 36th China Popular Film Awards,[14] and won the award for excellent feature film at the 19th China Huabiao Awards.[15][16]

Plot

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After her mother Li Huanying is fatally injured in a car accident in 2001, grief-stricken Jia Xiaoling finds herself transported back in time to the year 1981, where she becomes her mother's close friend.[17][5][18] Jia Xiaoling feels that she has not been a good enough daughter in the present, so back in 1981, she does all she can to make Li Huanying happy, including setting her up with a factory manager's son, Shen Guanglin, in the hope of giving her mother a better husband, a better daughter, and a better life than she had the first time around.[6]

Cast

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Production

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Hi, Mom is Jia Ling's directorial debut.[19] She spent more than three years writing the script with her co-writers,[20] and production started on 25 September 2019.[21] It was filmed on location at factories in Jia Ling's hometown of Xiangyang, Hubei.[22][23]

The film is adapted from Jia Ling's 2016 comedy sketch of the same name, "Hello, Li Huanying", from season 1 of Comedy General Mobilization [zh]. It is also based on stories of Jia Ling's own mother, also named Li Huanying, who died in 2001 shortly after Jia started college.[17][6][24][25][26] Jia made the film as a tribute to her mother.[27][28]

The film's Chinese title literally means "Hello, Li Huanying" rather than "Hi, Mom". When asked about this difference, Jia Ling said that a mother is not just a mother, but her own person too.[6]

Advance publicity

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On September 25, 2019, Jia Ling published a post announcing the launch of the movie Hi, Mom.[29]

On January 7, 2020, the film was announced. On October 29, the film was announced to be scheduled for release on Lunar New Year's Day (February 12) 2021.[30] On December 16, the studio released a trailer titled "What kind of family is this?"[31] On December 24, the studio released posters of Jia Ling, Shen Teng and Zhang Xiaofei.[32] On December 25, the film released a promotional video titled "Where are you going, Dad".[33] On December 31, the studio released the music video for the promotional song "Little Girl Under the Street Lamp".[34]

Reception

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Box office

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Hi, Mom was released on 12 February 2021, and in its first weekend it grossed US$195 million (RMB 1.26 billion).[35] The film's popularity grew through word of mouth,[6] and on 15 February its single-day box office total was US$80 million, surpassing Detective Chinatown 3.[26][36] By 16 February, the film had grossed more than RMB 1.8 billion, making Jia Ling the highest-grossing woman director in Chinese box office history (the previous record was RMB 1.36 billion for Us and Them, directed by Rene Liu).[20][37][38] On 21 February the film's cumulative box office total surpassed Detective Chinatown 3, making it the highest-grossing film of the 2021 Chinese New Year holiday period.[18][39] On 6 March, its gross reached 5.04 billion RMB, surpassing 2019's Nezha to become the second-highest-grossing film of all time in China.[40] In late March, the film's gross surpassed Wonder Woman (2017) to become the highest-grossing film by a solo female director of all time.[10] This record would be surpassed by Barbie in 2023.[41] At noon on March 10, the total box office exceeded RMB 5.15 billion, equivalent to more than US$785 million, surpassing Deadpool (US$783 million) and officially entered the top 100 at the global box office. On March 20, the box office revenue exceeded 5.3 billion, making Jia Ling the highest-grossing female director in the world.[42]

Though it was originally planned to be shown in theaters until March 15, 2021, the film's run was extended to April 11, 2021[43] and then later to May 2021.

International release

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On March 14, 2021, the film's crew announced plans for international release.[43][44]

Critical response

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The film received positive reviews and higher ratings from viewers than the other major films released at the same time.[20][45] As of 16 February 2021, the film's rating out of 10 is 8.2 on Douban, 9.5 on Maoyan, and 9.3 on Taopiaopiao.[45] It has won praise for its authentic emotions and its portrayal of 1980s Xiangyang.[20] Audiences found the film moving; many were moved to tears, and some called their families soon after leaving the theater.[11][6] According to critic Lim Yian Lu, "despite this being Jia Ling’s directorial debut, it is on par with the work of an experienced director".[46][47]

Cai Jianya wrote that the film's release had resonated with viewers. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people had not traveled home to see their families for Chinese New Year in 2021, and some chose to watch a film about family as a result.[6]

Accolades

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Date Award Category Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Result Notes
2021 34th Golden Rooster Awards Best Directorial Debut Jia Ling Nominated [48][49]
Best Actress Zhang Xiaofei Won [48][49]
Best Supporting Actress Liu Jia Nominated [48][49]

References

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  1. ^ ""史上最强春节档"！《你好，李焕英》票房破10亿 豆瓣评分8.3 你贡献了吗？ _ 东方财富网". finance.eastmoney.com. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Hi, Mom (2021)". Entgroup. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Ni Hao, Li Huan Ying (2021)". The Numbers.
  4. ^ Zhang, Ali (1 May 2022). "Hi, Mom: Farewell in the Vision and Reconciliation in the Farewell". Journal of Chinese Film Studies. 2 (1): 189–198. doi:10.1515/jcfs-2022-0023. ISSN 2702-2285.
  5. ^ a b "8 Lunar New Year films vying for box office gold in China". South China Morning Post. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "《你好，李焕英》突破10亿，看完我想给妈妈打电话说……-千龙网·中国首都网". china.qianlong.com. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  7. ^ "《你好，李焕英》作文素材：精彩句子，标题……妈妈不是超人，只是成为了超人_贾玲". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  8. ^ "7部电影竞争春节档 谁是头马谁是黑马-新华网". www.xinhuanet.com. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  9. ^ Dou, ban. "你好，李焕英" [hi，mom]. {{cite web}}: Check |archive-url= value (help)
  10. ^ a b Mendelson, Scott (24 March 2021). "Box Office: China's 'Hi, Mom' Passes 'Wonder Woman' As Top-Grossing Movie From Solo Female Director". Forbes. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  11. ^ a b "黄晓明观影你好李焕英，感慨好想抱抱妈妈，电影主创留言表示感谢_贾玲献". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  12. ^ Davis, Rebecca (18 February 2021). "China's New Year Box Office Breaks $1.2 Billion as 'Hi, Mom' Catches 'Detective Chinatown 3'". Variety. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  13. ^ ""看完《你好，李焕英》，我想给妈妈打电话说……"-中新网". www.chinanews.com.cn. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  14. ^ Da, wan. "Film Hi Mom won the 36th Popular Film Awards". [Film Hi Mom won the 36th Popular Film Awards]
  15. ^ Xiangyang, zhisheng. "《Hi mom》won the Chinese Film Awards!".
  16. ^ Zhang, Ali (25 May 2022). "Hi, Mom : Farewell in the Vision and Reconciliation in the Farewell". Journal of Chinese Film Studies. 2 (1): 189–198. doi:10.1515/jcfs-2022-0023. ISSN 2702-2277.
  17. ^ a b "你好，李焕英，有个叫贾玲的人又想你了" (in Chinese). Sohu. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  18. ^ a b Brzeski, Patrick (21 February 2021). "China Box Office: 'Hi, Mom,' 'Detective Chinatown 3' Both Soar Past $600M". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  19. ^ "为贾玲的处女作《你好，李焕英》点赞". 腾讯 (in Chinese). 12 February 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  20. ^ a b c d Yau, Elaine (20 February 2021). "Who is Jia Ling, star of Chinese box office sensation Hi, Mom?". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  21. ^ "贾玲宣布电影《你好，李焕英》开机". 新浪娱乐 (in Chinese). 25 September 2019. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  22. ^ "春节期间，这些襄阳人霸屏". 襄阳日报. Archived from the original on 19 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  23. ^ "电影《你好，李焕英》湖北襄阳取景地成"网红"". 中新网. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  24. ^ "《你好，李焕英》定档大年初一 贾玲自编自导自演". 人民网 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  25. ^ cnBeta (29 October 2020). "沈腾、贾玲《你好，李焕英》定档 大年初一上映播出". 新浪科技_新浪网 (in Chinese). Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  26. ^ a b 高凯 (15 February 2021). "口碑发酵 《你好，李焕英》单日票房逆袭登顶". 中国新闻网 (in Chinese). Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  27. ^ "Tear-jerker Hi, Mom proves massive box-office success in China". The Straits Times. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  28. ^ Davidson, Helen (26 February 2021). "Mum's the word: hit Chinese film Hi Mom sparks debate about motherhood". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  29. ^ Wangyi (25 September 2019). "贾玲宣布电影《你好，李焕英》开机 曾演同名小品" [Jia Ling announced the launch of the movie "Hi, Mom"]. ent.163.com. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  30. ^ "春节档电影又添一员，贾玲沈腾主演《你好，李焕英》定档年初一". www.bjnews.com.cn. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  31. ^ "《你好，李焕英》贾玲沈腾喜剧王炸 闺女穿越遇见妈大年初一笑哈哈". ent.ifeng.com. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  32. ^ "电影《你好，李焕英》发新海报 贾玲沈腾张小斐"一家三口"欢喜亮相" [The movie "Hi Mom" has a new poster, Jia Ling, Shen Teng, Zhang Xiaofei, "a family of three" happy to appear]. ent.ynet.com. Archived from the original on 8 April 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  33. ^ "《你好，李焕英》曝"爸爸去哪儿"特辑 大年初一贾玲花式"挑老爸"". ent.ynet.com. Archived from the original on 8 April 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  34. ^ "贾玲&沈腾复古造型，魔性摇摆" [Jia Ling & Shen Teng retro style, magical swing-Mtime]. content.mtime.com. Archived from the original on 8 April 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  35. ^ Davis, Rebecca (14 February 2021). "China Box Office Hits Huge $775 Million Holiday Weekend, Led by $424 Million 'Detective Chinatown' Debut". Variety. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  36. ^ Mendelson, Scott. "Box Office: 'Detective Chinatown 3' Tops $450M But 'Hi, Mom' Plays Spoiler". Forbes. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  37. ^ "《你好，李焕英》超18亿 贾玲成中国影史票房最高女导演". finance.sina.com.cn. 16 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  38. ^ "贾玲成中国影史票房最高女导演，《你好，李焕英》凭什么这么火？". finance.sina.com.cn. 16 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  39. ^ Davis, Rebecca (21 February 2021). "China Box Office: 'Hi, Mom' Overtakes Initial Frontrunner 'Detective Chinatown 3' in Total Sales". Variety. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  40. ^ "'Hi, Mom' grabs 2nd place on China's all-time box office chart - China.org.cn". www.china.org.cn. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  41. ^ ""Barbie" makes history as film surpasses $1B in box office sales".
  42. ^ "贾玲超"神奇女侠"成全球票房最高女导演！还准备"出国"，网友却炸了...|神奇女侠|你好，李焕英|贾玲_新浪科技_新浪网". 22 March 2021. Archived from the original on 22 March 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  43. ^ a b Huang, Yiran (16 March 2021). "Beijing Pops: CNY Box Office Champ "Hi, Mom" Announces Plans for Global Release". www.thebeijinger.com. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  44. ^ SINA entertainment (14 March 2021). ""Hi，mom" film crew announced that it will be released worldwide". ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  45. ^ a b "China Box Office: Family Comedy Surges". The Hollywood Reporter. 16 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  46. ^ Lim, Yian Lu. "Hi, Mom review: A comedy with a message about motherly love". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  47. ^ "Reflections and revelations on the success model of the Chinese New Year movie "Hi, mom" under the trend of Chinese melodrama" (PDF).
  48. ^ a b c 第34届中国电影金鸡奖公布完整提名名单. qq.com (in Chinese). 29 November 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  49. ^ a b c 第34届中国电影金鸡奖完整名单. qq.com (in Chinese). 30 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
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