So Young

A lyrical ode to youth at its most fearless and foolhardy, “So Young,” the helming debut of one of China’s best-known actresses, Vicki Zhao (“Painted Skin: The Resurrection,” “Shaolin Soccer”), is accomplished on technical and dramatic levels. Harnessing a topnotch crew that includes Hong Kong master Stanley Kwan as producer, Zhao’s ’90s college romance throbs with an urgency and elan that mirror her protagonists’ heady experiences with first love. Even though the film’s momentum is halted by a messy coda, its overall exuberance will linger with the female target audience. Boffo domestic B.O. is still going strong, and the pic should shine in Asia-friendly markets beyond.