Synopsis
But Always follows two friends and later lovers, Anran and Zhao Yongyuan, as they meet in childhood in Beijing in 1982, repeatedly separate without goodbyes, reunite or fail to rendezvous in assorted torrential downpours and pine for each other at their favorite bus stop. Because the movie’s opening sequence is set in New York in 2001 — and prominently features shots of the twin towers — “But Always,” told in flashback, leaves little doubt about how it will end. Watching it means waiting for the other shoe to drop: anticipating the moment when this already tacky weepie will resolve itself in horrific, exploitative fashion.
Metrics
| Opening Weekend: | $140,000 (33.5% of total gross) |
| Legs: | 2.98 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 1.1% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Theater counts: | 19 opening theaters/20 max. theaters, 3.1 weeks average run per theater |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $550,944 |
Latest Ranking on Cumulative Box Office Lists
| Record | Rank | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 10,201-10,300) | 10,265 | $417,558 |
| All Time International Box Office (Rank 2,401-2,500) | 2,453 | $36,590,000 |
| All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 3,701-3,800) | 3,770 | $37,007,558 |
| All Time Domestic Highest Grossing Limited Release Movies (Rank 2,601-2,700) | 2,675 | $417,558 |
See the Box Office tab (Domestic) and International tab (International and Worldwide) for more Cumulative Box Office Records.
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | September 5th, 2014 (Limited) by China Lion Film Distribution, released as But Always |
| MPAA Rating: | Not Rated |
| Running Time: | 106 minutes |
| Comparisons: | vs. Xin Hua Lu Fang Create your own comparison chart… |
| Keywords: | 1970s, Set in China, Set in Beijing, Set in New York, Romance, Love Triangle, 9/11, Non-Chronological |
| Source: | Original Screenplay |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Historical Fiction |
| Production/Financing Companies: | Emperor Motion Picture |
| Production Countries: | China |
| Languages: | Mandarin |