Once in a while, you come across a movie that proves to be a pleasant surprise to watch.

At a time when studios seem content to release pure shlock, the genuine desire to tell a good story should always be applauded. And a good story is precisely what the innocuously titled “Yolo” tells.

Directed by actress Jia Ling, this Mandarin comedy-drama, released this March, is a more light-hearted adaptation of a 2014 Japanese film.

Don’t be fooled by the comedy tag though; the film has more heart than laughs to it – and that’s not a bad thing.

The film follows Du Leying, played by director Jia, who is a 32-year-old woman who has lost direction in life. Overweight and unemployed, Du is a well-meaning pushover, who often gives too much of herself for the happiness of others.

Eventually forced by circumstances to work as a waitress, she comes across Hao Kun (Lei Jiaying), a boxing coach from a nearby gym.

When Hao tries to get Du to take up boxing (for his own job’s sake), the lovestruck Du agrees as a means to get closer to him.

While things seem to go well at first, it becomes clear that while Du aspires for more in life, Hao is more comfortable with mediocrity.

And just when Du seems to hit her lowest point, she resolves to win something for herself for the first time in her life, thus taking up the boxing gloves for real.

What follows is a genuinely inspiring film that shows what a little spark of hope and support can do to change one’s life for the better.

When this writer entered the theatre, what he expected was another silly film with dumb gags and rude jokes, seeking to get a laugh out of the audience.

Instead, “Yolo” will likely resonate with many young Malaysians who feel stuck at their current stage of life.

Though there were some moments of comedic levity, this slice-of-life story shared a more important message – while being gracious and loving towards those around you is commendable, equally important is the act of loving yourself and pursuing your own goals in life.

It is a message that many people need to hear as they struggle with managing their life’s priorities.

Kudos to Jia, who had quite the workload in this film as not only the director but also the lead actress.

Mind you, her tubby appearance is all hers and not digitally edited. So, she clearly worked hard to put on and take off weight for the sake of the film’s authenticity.

In terms of directing, the pacing of the story was a little slow at times, though it picked up close to the end and finished with a bang.

That said, there was more than enough time to get to know Du and the people around her, as well as to appreciate the character development.

Jia’s performance as Du is the highlight of the film; her soft spoken nature is easy to love as well as to sympathise with.

Also worth some credit is Lei, whose character serves as a rather interesting comparison to Du, in terms of how each views life.

The film has a rather mature take on relationships, with the story thankfully not coming off as an unrealistic fairy tale romance.

An empowering watch for women and inspiring for those lost in life, “Yolo” is the surprise movie of the month and is worth your time in the theatre.

Also, whoever wrote the Bahasa Malaysia subtitles, the word for “box” in this film’s context is “tinju”, not “kotak”!

‘Yolo’ is currently playing in theatres nationwide.