Introduction
At first, I wanted to use the above official movie poster for my article’s featured image, as it represents the journey of the two protagonists with a clunker van. However, I was attracted to the little girl’s image above because of the scene from which the image is taken. You see that she is in tears. The scene itself is heartbreaking, but heartwarming as well. If you’re curious, I put the spoiler of the scene at the end of the article after the Conclusion.
The girl, although she is the Female Lead, is not who the movie focuses on, but the man. However, she’s like his angel. And when you watch the movie, you will understand why I use the article title “a sunny girl towards her sunset”.
Movie Info
Movie title: Always Have Always Will (Native title: 天堂旅行团 )
Alternative title: Paradise Tour Group, Tian Tang Lv Xing Tuan
Genres: Life, Drama
Released: Mar 8, 2025
Duration: 1 hr. 38 min.
Director: Liu Jie ( 刘杰 )
Screenwriters: Zhang Jia Jia ( 张嘉佳 ), Guo Tao ( 郭涛 ), Yang Fu Zhi ( 杨富芝 )
Adapted from the novel "Tian Tang Lv Xing Tuan" (天堂旅行团)
by Zhang Jia Jia (张嘉佳).
Trailer (English sub):
Synopsis
Song Yi Li, who was feeling down in life, was “kidnapped” by the mischievous girl Yu Xiao Ju and embarked on an unknown journey. On their journey, they shared laughter and tears with people of all kinds, warming and healing each other, tearing open the dark night and illuminating the abyss. All the ups and downs and splendor of life are unique experiences (Source: TMDb).
Characters
Main Characters
Peng Yu Chang ( 彭昱畅 ) as Song Yi Li
A depressed young man who is struggling in life, having experienced the blows of a broken marriage and an unsuccessful career, initially wanted to end his life.
However, he was “kidnapped” by Yu Xiao Ju and embarked on a journey. During the trip, he was infected by Xiao Ju’s optimism and gradually regained hope for life, finding the meaning of existence.
Yang En You ( 杨恩又 ) as Yu Xiao Ju
A little girl suffering from a terminal illness is innocent, lively, and quirky. She “kidnapped” Song Yi Li, making him accompany her to fulfill her wishes.
Along the journey, she warmed Song Yi Li with her optimism and kindness, and they spent unforgettable moments together in the process.
Supporting Characters
Fang Kuai Qi (Wei Da Xun) – Song Yi Li’s friend
Lin Yi (Wu Jin Yan) – Song Yi Li’s ex wife
Xu Jing Jing (Li Xue Qin) – a passerby
Yu Xiao Ju’s mother (Lu Xing Chen)
Tian Mei Hua (Zou Yuan Qing) – teacher
Chen Yan (Jane Zhang) – singer
Review
Story and Plot
Always Have Always Will, is not just a traveling movie. Yes, the native title translated to English is “Paradise Tour Group”, so traveling to places is expected. Unexpectedly, in the second half, through the stories of the people Song Yi Li and Xiao Ju met, the movie transforms from a personal emotional journey into a collective exploration of the meaning of life that everyone can relate to. Each character has his/her own motive for doing what he/she does in the movie, and the audience can feel the reasons for their transformations. Each encounter with the characters on their trip is a two-way healing. It emotionally heals the protagonists as well as the characters they meet.
The plot itself is predictable, but the journey isn’t. It starts with Song Yi Li and Xiao Ju meeting by accident, and an unplanned trip to the ‘paradise’. Eventually, both reach the ‘paradise’. In the process, they experience many unexpected things together. Along with laughter and quarrels, there is a warm interaction between each other and redemption for each other. With each other’s support, they gradually find the meaning of life.
In the beginning, some scenes seem illogical, especially if you’re familiar with the hospital setting. I will spoil you below. However, if you’re just looking to be entertained, and not rationalize a fiction, just skip the spoiler.
Some illogical hospital scenes
- Song Yi Li can bring in alcohol to drink in the hospital?!
- The hospital rooftop is open to everyone, including a suicidal patient?!
- Xiao Ju frequent disappearance is treated as a child’s play, not a patient safety concern.
- There is no hospital security camera anywhere that anybody sees Xiao Ju sneaks out of her room, to the basement parking lot, to Song Yi Li’s van.
- At the end of the movie, we see Xiao Ju use a gurney to bring Song Yi Li from the rooftop back to his room, and nobody hears or sees them.
Although the movie has some problems, overall it is a very smooth, delicate, warm, and touching story.
Characterization and Acting
Song Yi Li and Peng Yu Chang
Song Yi Li encounters too many difficulties during his prime years, leading to a rapid emotional decline and tendencies towards depression, helplessness, and suicide. Although he is physically healthy, for people with depression, if they can’t get out of it, they can’t get out of it. Emotionally, he is not healthy, and he cannot value his own existence. Finally, when Song Yi Li meets one person after another, he has experienced various other things. After learning about Xiao Ju’s experience, he is moved by her strength, optimism, and kindness. He also finds the courage and strength to live again. After saying goodbye to the pain of the past and the people he cherishes but has to say goodbye to, he starts a new life journey.
Peng Yu Chang vividly interpreted Song Yi Li’s depression and struggle, and his crying scene can really touch the hearts of many viewers. The live-streaming solo performance in the second half of the movie fully showcased the actor’s acting skills.
Yu Xiao Ju and Yang En You
When watching the movie, I felt like Xiao Ju is a character from heaven, who appears specifically to save Song Yi Li, like a beam of light shining into the darkness, waiting until her dawn arrives. Some of her lines are mature, unlikely to be told by kids her age.
Yang En You continued using her innocence and cuteness the give Xiao Ju’s character full of vitality, despite she has terminal cancer. As the leading actress, Yang En You delivered an incredibly impressive performance at such a young age. She showed full understanding and control of her character.
The Visuals
The cinematography during Song Yi Li’s depression is dark. Then comes the contrast of seeing Xiao Ju wearing a bright orange wig, and her journal is full of vivid colors. The movie posters are intentionally made with bright and cheery blue-green and yellow-orange tones, which makes people feel very relaxed. The character posters are also made cheerful, like a child’s coloring book. But after watching the entire movie, you will feel that Always Have Always Will is actually a heavy movie.
We also see the natural background during their trip along the beautiful countryside of China.
Original Soundtrack
There are several beautiful OSTs in this movie, but I couldn’t find all the YouTube links. Two songs that I found are sung by popular Chinese singers. I put their links here:
Theme song: 天堂旅行团 (Paradise Tour Group) by Jane Zhang ( 张靓颖 ). She also plays as singer Chen Yan in this movie.
Ending credit: 花開忘憂 (Flowers Bloom Forget Worries) by Zhou Shen ( 周深 )
Conclusion
There is no earth-shaking scene in this movie, but it can hit the softest part of people’s hearts. It is like a mirror, allowing us to see the cruelty of life and the beauty of human nature.
If you are not in a good mood recently and are under a lot of pressure, go and watch Always Have Always Will. It will allow you to reap happiness and strength, and set off again in life!
Spoilers
What happens to Song Yi Li at the end?
He has the motivation to live on and runs his restaurant.
What happens to Xiao Ju at the end?
She died. The surgery is unsuccessful.
What about the scene from which the featured image is taken?
The angry Song Yi Li sends Xiao Ju back to the hospital by a public bus, because she lies about her father and mother. She sticks her head out of the bus window, apologizing while crying, and the wind blows her orange wig off. Upon seeing this, Song Yi Li runs and stops the bus, and takes Xiao Ju back (with the wig).
