| The youthful hoodlums of Young and Dangerous are at in again for the eighth time since their 1996 debut. "Those Were The Days" is a semi-prequel of the Young and Dangerous series, detailing the life and love of San Gai, otherwise known as Chicken. It is a coming of age story and hopes to flesh out Chicken's character.
It probes back into his past to give light on what made him become the man we saw in the previous Young and Dangerous films. We discover that his previous experiences profoundly shaped his life.
The reason he became a Goo Wak Jai is explained in his poverty-level upbringing and his residence. He lived in a poor area as he was poor and also was bullied by others. Becoming a rascal was the only way he could protect himself.
The movie has some unexpectedly touching instances, particularly between Chicken and a Taiwanese girl (Chen Boyu) with whom he has a two-month fling while hiding from the cops. Developing from childhood, their love is true and pure, but repeatedly interrupted by his choice; his life as a Goo Wak Jai.
A main conflict in the story is which path Chicken should take: the love of Gee, or to become a self-made man. However, Chicken ultimately chooses both and the ending is a result of that choice.
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