A few thoughts at the end of the day about the movie Upstream (逆行人生 )

Upstream is one of the few impressive films I've seen recently. As someone who has been using ride-hailing services like Grab, Be, or Gojek for the past seven years, I can relate to the feelings of the drivers. Usually, as long as the driver gets me to my destination safely, at a reasonable speed, and with clear communication about the route, I’m content. I remember once, a Be driver who only had a 3.8-star rating still made the effort to turn back when I accidentally left my bánh giò on the car. Perhaps he, too, had experienced something like Cao Chí L?y (Gao Zhilei) – the protagonist, who had been harshly judged by customers, so he was extra cautious, or was he simply worried I might miss my breakfast and leave my stomach empty? I also recall a somber-looking driver in Nha Trang who greeted me with a sad smile, with a box of chicken rice hanging in his car that had been abandoned by a customer…

Back to the movie, Upstream is moving because of its very ordinary, realistic details, and the Chinese culture has similarities with the Vietnamese culture, making the characters easy for Vietnamese audiences to relate to. It’s clear that in life, we shouldn't depend emotionally on anything, as nothing is certain, but this is the idealistic way of living. Cao Chí L?y, the IT guy, was deeply shocked when he was removed from his position as team leader after 11 years of hard work. To thrive in his career, he had adhered to a nerdy, sedentary lifestyle, even needing to inject insulin to stabilize his blood sugar—this is a bitter, painful reality for someone who has devoted his life to his work and takes great pride in his position. His job was not just a career; it was his face, his reputation, and the primary source of income to support a large family, including his parents, wife, and daughter. Giving up his dignity, his prestigious degree, and decades of IT experience to become a delivery driver at 45, competing with energetic young people and older men used to working hard under the sun, was a drastic decision, almost as if he was diving headfirst into a job that tested his weaknesses (health, agility, quick thinking, and resilience).

The entire film depicts Cao Chí L?y’s transformation—what he never lost was his spirit of curiosity, hard work, persistence, systematic problem-solving skills, and his compassion for others, which allowed him to unite a team. He humbles himself to learn from the best delivery drivers, builds an app to optimize delivery routes, and shares it with his colleagues, learning from them not only technical skills but also how to be diplomatic, how to lobby—from security guards to shop owners—to secure orders faster. His journey is so challenging that we see him suffering road accidents and nearly losing his life several times. But no matter where he falls, he always rises again. His sincere heart gradually transforms the stubborn, selfish, and miserly delivery drivers. By the end of the film, the audience learns the backstory of each character and realizes that their tough exterior is just a mask hiding the compassion within them, each person carrying his own burden.

Another aspect of Upstream I love is its natural ending. There are no grand, unbelievable transformations. In the end, Cao Chí L?y’s family still faces difficulties; they move to a smaller apartment, accepting a simpler life. His daughter can no longer attend the international school, but they still have each other. Cao Chí L?y’s talent for creating apps eventually catches the attention of the headquarters of the delivery company, and they want to involve him in their app design team.

For me, this is a film full of hope and love, but without being overly sentimental or melodramatic. In a world where life becomes more uncertain every day, with news of layoffs everywhere, economic downturns, crises, wars, diseases, and natural disasters suddenly hitting us… having a family to love, care for, and protect each other, a small group of sincere colleagues and friends to learn from and share work experiences with, to compete together yet help each other progress—that is the true precious gem in life, isn't it?

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