Once Upon a Love Story isn’t just a film about first love or a tangled triangle—it’s a sunlit, aching love letter to the friends who knew us before we knew ourselves, and the quiet, enduring kind of love that survives time, distance, and the messy business of growing up.
Set against the golden haze of rural central Vietnam, this 2024 gem from director Trịnh Đình Lê Minh captures that rare cinematic feeling of stepping straight into someone else’s memory. If you’ve ever wondered what happened to the people who shaped your heart in childhood—or wished a story could bottle the exact mix of laughter, longing, and gentle heartbreak that comes with it—this is the movie that delivers.
The Story (No Major Spoilers)
Three childhood friends—Miền, Vinh, and Phúc—grow up together in a peaceful countryside town. Their bond is the kind forged in shared summers: racing through schoolyards, lingering by streams, and navigating the first confusing waves of attraction. Vinh quietly carries feelings for Miền. Miền’s heart leans toward Phúc, Vinh’s closest friend. What begins as innocent affection slowly deepens into something far more complicated as they move from childhood into adolescence and young adulthood.
Life, as it always does, intervenes. Choices are made. One of them suddenly disappears. The remaining two are forced to confront not just their buried emotions, but the ripple effects of everything they’ve left unsaid. Spanning years (from the late ’80s/’90s into the early 2000s), the film lets us watch love evolve—from the bright, uncomplicated joy of youth to the heavier, more sacrificial shades it takes on later. It’s less about dramatic betrayals and more about the slow, honest work of understanding what you truly want versus what you’re willing to protect.
A Different Take on Love Triangle
Most love-triangle stories rush toward resolution or melodrama. Once Upon a Love Story does something braver: it slows down. Director Trịnh Đình Lê Minh (whose previous film Goodbye Mother explored family and homecoming with similar tenderness) treats the rural Vietnamese landscape almost like another character. Sun-drenched fields, mossy-tiled houses, and an old school become living spaces where tradition and change, individual desire and communal expectation, memory and modernity all collide. The production even planted thousands of corn stalks just to get the perfect drone shots—proof of the obsessive care poured into authenticity.
The performances are devastating. Ngọc Xuân brings a gentle but steely resolve to Miền. Luong Anh Vu (Avin Lu) makes Vinh’s kindness feel lived-in and deeply moving. Do Nhat Hoang lights up Phúc with loyal, spirited warmth. They often communicate more through glances, small gestures, and loaded silences than pages of dialogue—an intimacy that feels almost radical in today’s fast-cut cinema.
At its core, the film expands what “love story” even means. It’s about romantic longing, yes, but also the profound love of friendship, the kindness that lingers after passion fades, and the peace that comes from finally seeing yourself clearly. Adapted from the beloved novel by Nguyễn Nhật Ánh (one of Vietnam’s most treasured voices in youth literature), it preserves the book’s nostalgic soul while expanding it into something visually and emotionally cinematic.
A Faithful Adaptation with Real Heart
This isn’t a glossy remake chasing trends—it’s a thoughtful, festival-favored translation of a literary classic. Trịnh Đình Lê Minh has spoken about wanting to explore love in all its forms (romantic, platonic, and simply human) and the idea of “homecoming” as a return to one’s truest self without masks. The film competed as the only Vietnamese entry for best feature at the 2024 Hanoi International Film Festival, and it continues to screen at events like Viet Film Fest, where audiences are rediscovering its quiet power.
The soundtrack (including a haunting contribution from Avin Lu himself) and production design only deepen the immersion. You’ll smell the summer air and feel the weight of unspoken words.
Basic Information
- Title: Once Upon a Love Story (Vietnamese: Ngày Xưa Có Một Chuyện Tình)
- Director: Trịnh Đình Lê Minh
- Main Cast: Ngọc Xuân as Miền, Luong Anh Vu (Avin Lu) as Vinh, Do Nhat Hoang as Phúc
- Released: October 28, 2024 (theatrical release in Vietnam)
- Runtime: 2 hours 14 minutes
- Where to Watch: Streaming on Rakuten Viki (English subtitles available in supported regions); digital rental/purchase on Apple TV. Availability may vary by location—also check local Vietnamese platforms (such as FPT Play) or upcoming festival screenings for additional options.
Grab some tissues, maybe a cup of trà đá, and let this beautiful, bittersweet story wrap around you. You won’t regret the time spent in its golden light.
