Synopsis
After a car accident, a woman travels back to 1981 and meets her mother as a young woman. Determined to give her a better life, she tries to rewrite fate — only to discover that love needs no rewriting. Jia Ling's directorial debut grossed 5.41 billion yuan, the third-highest in Chinese cinema history. Douban 7.7.
Overview
Hi, Mom (Chinese: 你好，李焕英) is a 2021 Chinese fantasy comedy-drama written, directed by, and starring Jia Ling, alongside Zhang Xiaofei, Shen Teng, and Chen He. Adapted from Jia Ling's own 2016 sketch comedy routine, the film is a deeply personal love letter to her late mother.
Released on February 12, 2021 (Chinese New Year), it became a phenomenon, grossing over 5.41 billion yuan ($848 million) — the third-highest box office in Chinese cinema history and the third-highest worldwide in 2021. It holds a Douban rating of 7.7.
Plot Summary
Jia Xiaoling (Jia Ling) has been a disappointment to her mother Li Huanying (Liu Jia) her whole life. In a desperate attempt to make her mother proud, she forges a university acceptance letter — only to be exposed at the celebratory banquet. On the way home, a car accident leaves her mother in a coma.
Grief-stricken at the hospital, Xiaoling suddenly finds herself transported back to 1981 — the year her mother was young. She meets the beautiful young Li Huanying (Zhang Xiaofei) and poses as her cousin, determined to use her knowledge of the future to help her mother marry better and live a happier life.
Xiaoling helps her mother win the factory's first television set and tries to set her up with the factory director's son, Shen Guanglin (Shen Teng). But just as everything seems to be falling into place, Xiaoling makes a devastating discovery: her mother has also traveled back in time and has known her identity all along.
Li Huanying never wanted a better life. She only wanted her daughter to be healthy and happy.
Cast
| Actor | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Jia Ling | Jia Xiaoling | The daughter who travels back to 1981 |
| Zhang Xiaofei | Li Huanying (young) | Xiaoling's mother in her youth |
| Shen Teng | Shen Guanglin | Factory director's son |
| Chen He | Leng Te | A colleague who helps Xiaoling |
| Liu Jia | Li Huanying (middle-aged) | Xiaoling's mother in the present |
Behind the Scenes
Hi, Mom is Jia Ling's directorial debut. Her mother passed away in an accident when Jia was 19, leaving a wound that never healed. The film is her heartfelt attempt to answer an impossible question: if she could go back in time, what would she do for her mother?
The first half of the film is pure comedy; the second half delivers a gut-wrenching twist that left entire audiences in tears. Zhang Xiaofei's portrayal of the young Li Huanying — warm, beautiful, and selfless — made her an overnight star.
Awards
| Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 36th Hundred Flowers Awards | Outstanding Film | Won |
| 19th Huabiao Awards | Outstanding Feature Film | Won |
Cultural Significance
Hi, Mom is the most successful directorial debut in Chinese cinema history. Jia Ling took a sketch comedy premise and turned it into a blockbuster that outgrossed every other film in its release window.
At its heart is the simplest and most universal of wishes: that children could have more time with their parents. Jia Ling used laughter to tell a story about loss and love, and in doing so reminded every viewer of their own mother.
References
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hi,Mom(2021_film)
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10315
- Douban: https://movie.douban.com/subject/34841067/
Stills & Gallery
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