Have a Nice Day

Have A Nice Day is an award-winning 2017 Chinese animated neo-noir film written and directed by Liu Jian, featuring voice actors such as Changlong Zhu, Kai Cao, and Jian Liu. A tale crafted with edgy brilliance and dark wit, it leaves enduring impressions of its characters and their morally compromised world.

The narrative setting of the film unfolds in a dreary, nondescript southern region of China, joylessly estranged in the periphery of the magnificent rush of global capitalism and economic development. This very setting blends in seamlessly with the film's gritty noir component, engendering an unwelcome, foreboding environment that adds to the overall suspense and tension.

At the heart of the film, a bag full of a million yuan serves as the film's MacGuffin, setting in motion a thrilling hunt for money amongst the city's lowbrow inhabitants. Have A Nice Day paints a vivid image of the social realities in present-day China. The characters in pursuit of the money, each with their unique motivations, are beleaguered by economic hardships and crushed dreams, succinctly encapsulating the desperation and struggle signifying this offshoot of the global capitalist society.

The protagonist, Xiao Zhang, a driver embodied by the voice of Zhu Changlong, is just one among the array of colorful, well-etched characters with their tangled histories and moral ambiguities. There's Uncle Liu, a gang boss, chillingly voiced by Yang Shiming, who is terminally ill and reciting poetry amidst bouts of brutality. Then we have Yellow Eye, produced by Cao Kou, a butcher turned killer, enshrouded in remorse and regret.

Masterfully using the genre of neo-noir, the film explores themes of human greed, disillusionment, and the relentless quest for a better life. The plot-line, characterized by its serpentine twists and turns, tiptoes around desperate individuals all seeking possession of the coveted cash bag, for personal reasons—ranging from fleeing the city, funding a sex change operation, and buying a home or simply maintaining their authority.

Driven by tight dialogue, Have A Nice Day is peppered with cultural, political and philosophical metaphors that playfully reference the global, political pop-culture alongside the socio-economic issues of contemporary China. Director Liu Jian cleverly uses the dialogue and visual cues to make wry comments on globalisation, consumerism, and the seductive allure of capital.

Liu Jian's animation style in Have A Nice Day is breathtaking - crude yet beautiful, imparting an air of credibility to the characters' hopes, dreams, and predicaments. The film brims with atmospheric, expressive landscapes serving as backdrops to the unfolding drama. Its mise-en-scene includes decaying architecture, open garbage dumps, shady bars, and grimy bathrooms — all finely detailed to reinforce its bleak narrative. Not just the setting, but the characters too are rendered in a manner that offers an almost tangible connection to their harsh realities.

The soundtrack of the film is a distinctive fusion of synthwave and Chinese pop, consuming the audience in its contemplative yet energetic rhythm. It synchronously elevates the on-screen happenings while painting a grim contrast to the socioeconomic disillusionment echoed by the characters.

In its entirety, Have A Nice Day personifies a well-crafted artistic experiment, away from the conventional animation genres, and laced with substance and style. The film is daringly reflective of the moral landscape of modern-day China, shedding light on the grim realities hidden beneath the surface of economic progress. Essentially, the film proves to be a cinematic experience that is fascinating, invigorating, and unforgettable all at once.

Heavily soaked in a cogent blend of socio-economic realism and noir elements, Have A Nice Day, is an enchanting, gritty, thought-provoking animation with multiple layers of narrative that embarks viewers on a uniquely gripping journey into the underbelly of society. Not merely an aesthetically pleasing visual feat but also an insightful social commentary, it effortlessly strikes a balance between the two, making it an outstanding addition to the canon of global animation.