Never Gone (2016) User Reviews

Could have been better.

[Arali69 · 4/10 · 27 April 2018]

Just finished watching this and I have to say that it could have been way better. Our main characters first meet when he accidentally douses her with water and she is wary of him because he is rich. Long story short, they wind up having the type of high school romance anyone would consider forgettable in real life.

This film tries to make us believe that theirs is a great love story worth fighting for, but it's not. Our hero is cold and looks stiff during those kissing scenes and our heroine really doesn't like him at all. He just doesn't get it. There was very little buildup to the romance. The added side plots don't really help the story. Both of them behave immaturely and the ambiguous ending was frustrating. I had to search for deleted scenes on YouTube that should have wrapped up the ending.

Disappointing.

Love and romance drama with no love and romance.

[XueHuaBingYu · 4/10 · 17 April 2019]

Umm, this is supposed to be a love story and romance, but it didn't turn out to be like that. As some critics said, it doesn't show love and romance. What they said was right. Although it does have some kind of love between two main characters, but it wasn't that strong. So, it didn't turn out to be love and romance drama.

The reason why I watched this is that a friend posted this on his Facebook profile, so, I thought I would give it a try. While I was watching it, although it's some kind of drama, especially, it's a love and romance that kind of thing, but it didn't make me bored. That's why I gave four stars. Words are said like that, but it doesn't make this film a good film.

There are some facts I don't like. Among them, what I don't like the most is that the female leading role is being deliberately pulled away from the male leading character who is also happened to be her boyfriend. I mean they could have gone with the flow. Even if they wanted to break the couple up, they could do it in a smooth way. But the way they chose to do it, it can clearly be seen it's done on purpose. So, I think it's one of the worst facts of this film.

One more thing I'd like to mention is that the story isn't complete. It's like they cut in the middle. They should have continued. Cutting in the middle only makes the audience unsatisfied. So, if they continued, it'd be better.

All in all, the film indeed is not that much boring. Even a girl who doesn't like love and romance films, could watch it, I guess you could too. So, I'm not saying it's one of the worst films and not worth spending time with, but it doesn't strong and it needs to be better than this. It's worth to give it a try.

not good enough

[PennyReviews · 2/10 · 4 January 2017]

"So Young" supposed to be a movie about young love, but it ended up being a kind of movie that you'll watch and then forget it the very next day. The story is about a girl who was bullied in school, and the bad boy of her class, who helps her with her classes. When they graduate, he asks her to move to Beinjin with him, but she opts to attend a less famous university somewhere else. However, the guy can't forget it. Unfortunately, the only good thing that I could find about this movie was its length, as it was a one hour and thirty minutes movie (fortunately!!). And now, for the bad things: -the ending was terrible. I didn't get what happened and if they met or not. -the chemistry was not there. No passion, no connection, nothing. It was probably the only thing that might have saved this movie, but the couple was boring and with no chemistry. -the story was boring. The two lovers were from different worlds and it was obvious the ending of the relationship, though the movie could have surprised the audience, again, if the love story was strong enough. No twists, no interest and simply no fun. -the male lead's performance was terrible. Maybe it was the script that didn't help or that weird acts of affection that were kind of violent rather than loving, but still it wasn't good but blunt. Maybe I could go on, but I think that those are enough to support my 2 out of 10 rating.

Adorable Movie

[erikbprestbury · 8/10 · 12 February 2018]

If you watch this movie, or any movie. with the intent to critique it, you might be disappointed. But real movie watchers don't care about perfect acting and directing. We don't look for flaws in films. We want to be entertained and we want to feel emotions.

This movie made me feel what they were feeling. It made me live what they were living. It made me remember those same feelings they expressed at that time in my life. My wife got me into watching these Chinese movies, and I'm so glad she did. I have discovered a world of cinema that I never knew existed, because we never saw these in America until Smart TV opened a streaming world to us. This film has the conflicts, the natural life disasters, the urges that drive our love lives.

I'm a former U.S. Army combat engineer during the Gulf War and this film actually made me come to tears a couple times. If you don't feel the emotions in this film, it means you are repressing your emotions. Or it means you have never experienced that type of love and you can't relate to this love story, and that's sad. I must admit that I was disappointed by the open ending, until I saw online that the revised ending had been released in China and I saw that they did end up together. At first I was like, OH NO, not another House of Flying Daggers type ending.

In America we see so much tragedy in our daily lives that we love, we need, movies that have happy endings. A romance like this has to have a happy ending or it breaks our hearts. This love story, even the extended friend story, begs for a sequel. I have waited since 11 years old to see all 9 Star Wars movies. I will live another 800 years waiting for this sequel. I have to see them reprise these roles and finish this story. Maybe after she finishes filming the Live Action Mulan reboot. We all want to see their wedding.

Bottom line? Don't listen to critics. Watch this movie and enjoy it like I did.

It delivered

[iciahgem · 8/10 · 18 February 2017]

IMDb gave this film a 4.9 and I was a bit apprehensive about watching it. I still did though. My crush on Crystal Liu won out in the end and I have to watch this film if only because I really like her. Thank God I did. This is an awesome film. Let me explain why.

(Note: Don't watch the MV if you haven't watched the film yet since this is the actual ending of the film that was deleted and eventually released due to popular demand. And no, the film wasn't bad because of the deleted scene. It's still good as is. It remains amazing still. - Also, spoiler sorta ahead.)

First, the whole atmosphere, pacing, and imagery of the film reminds me of Koizora (恋空), albeit with less vendetta from the supporting characters. It shows how love unfolds between two strangers, classmates, friends. Yes, it's ordinary. No, love like theirs is not. At least, not in the real world.

Then there's the cast giving life to the characters. Crystal nailed it. I've seen a bunch of her films and series and she always nails her roles. Su Yujin is as calm as the sea but we feel her every time. We feel her melancholy, her sorrow, her giddiness, her happiness, her disappointment with herself. Hell, I felt her conflicting emotions when he asked her if she loved him after all those years and she can't answer. It effing broke my heart. And this is coming from a person who hates (bold, italicized, underlined) female leads who are mute and meek AF especially when it comes to important scenes. I mean, what is so hard about telling the other party that you effing care? Of course there are valid reasons but they're reasons that barely matter mainly because the storytelling made it so; however, in Yujin's case, you know her reasons matter. She made you feel how much it matters.

The lead guy, Kris Wu, is good as well. He reminds me a lot of Koizora's Hiro without the full on bad boy image. (Or there is, sorta. Heh.) He's good with his role as well. Lacking in some scenes. Overbearing in some but his whole attitude makes up for it. I know he was from EXO and I think his role is close to his image so it worked for him.

The other actors such as the asshole friend of lead guy, lead girl's BFF, and sort of second lead guy were good with their roles as well. Particularly, BFF character. She's damn good. Sadly, we never saw her again after in about the last half of the film.

The whole cast delivered to be honest. Minor things such as supposedly rival girl's stricken face after realizing how she's basically nothing to lead guy (finally!!! after freaking years; how slow is the character even?) which could use a little more work but it's okay because we didn't have to see her after that so all is well.

And the ending.

Let me state here how I am an open ending kind of person. I don't just like it, I dig it. It's probably because I'm a perpetually sad person but I like seeing characters end their stories at a crossroad of their lives. I like being left to wonder whether they find their happy endings (which doesn't exist unless the characters die happily; e.g. The Notebook, then fine it does 😜) or not. Whether they chose to live or die. Because that's how life really is. The story doesn't end even after the storyteller ends their storytelling. It goes on and on and on until life itself ends.

Yet, somehow, for this particular story, I wanted to know if he at least found out that she did and does love him. I wanted to know if she was able to tell him. I wanted her to start catching up to him since that's what he's been doing since they first met. I want her to start being a person who takes chances as they come and not be a total risk-averse lead character. I have tons of ideas why I want her go out of that effing comfort zone and one of that is wanting a lead character, her specifically, to not be a person stuck in life like yours truly. I want her to not be me.

Unfortunately, she, again, ran away and he was still the one running to catch her.

That was my main problem with the film. On the other hand, as this was based on a book, maybe the director didn't really feel to be at liberty to change the characteristics of the characters so... ┐(￣ヮ￣)┌

P.S. Eff you IMDb, this film deserves a 7.5 and that's that. 😊

Disturbing Emotional: Happy Ending

[mzainkhalid-66780 · 10/10 · 9 May 2020]

Not everyone can enjoy this movie. You need a heart that feels to watch this movie.

"This Movies has two endings. One is official and second is unofficial and it's ending (deleted) scenes are available on YouTube.

This movie made me feel very emotional and caused desperation.

Best !!!!

[NithinHardy · 8/10 · 30 June 2020]

One of the beautiful love story... Simple but Gorgeous...

Unforgettable. This is masterpiece.

[mrsourabh-43456 · 10/10 · 3 December 2023]

I cannot believe some nerds are reviewing bad about this movie like they are some experts.

This is a rare piece of your life's puzzle.

It is one of those movies which you search for months but doesnt get you watch various movies but doesn't get the vibe. Then after months you finally get this type of masterpiece.

The story is so emotional it can make a grown man cry. The choreography, storyline, character development every thing was perfect.

I'm not giving any spoilers just don't expect anything and go watch this masterpiece.

I can bet you'll never regret. You won't forget this movie in your life. Those 3 hours will not go to waste.

If you love emotional movie then this could take the top spot in your list.