Happy Times (2000): cast, story & where to watch
2000 · Film · ★ 7.2
Released in 2000, Happy Times is a comedy and drama film directed by Zhang Yimou, running about 102 minutes. “An hilarious look at life and the pursuit of happiness!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Zhao is an old laid-off worker who's dreaming of getting married. After trying unsuccessful proposals, he finally pairs off with a gargantuan divorcée with two children. She, however, demands a lavish wedding and that Zhao finds a job and another place to stay for her blind step-daughter. Pretending he's the General Manager of a non-existent posh hotel "Happy Times", Zhao has to find ways and means of keeping both mother and stepdaughter happy.
Who’s in it. Happy Times stars Zhao Benshan as Zhao, Dong Jie as Wu Ying, Dong Li-Fan as Wu Ying's Stepmother and Fu Biao as Little Fu, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.2/10, Happy Times has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $240.1K at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Happy Times page.
If you liked it. Fans of Happy Times tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Happy Times (2000)?
- In US, Happy Times is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Happy Times worth watching?
- Happy Times holds an audience score of 7.2 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy and drama. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Happy Times?
- Happy Times stars Zhao Benshan, Dong Jie, Dong Li-Fan, Fu Biao and Li Xuejian.
- When was Happy Times released?
- Happy Times was released in 2000, with a runtime of about 102 minutes.