The Time You Need a Friend poster

The Time You Need a Friend

6.5(2)19841h 31m1

John Woo's melodramatic tragicomedy The Time You Need a Friend (1985) stands at the crucial crossroads in the director's career. Woo had been churning out innocuous comedies for more than a few years, and after establishing the "heroic bloodshed" genre, he'd never look back. But this tale of two comedians - estranged former pals who bury the hatchet for one last show together - blends the pathos and male-bonding of Woo's later dramas with the silliness and pratfalls that marked his early works. At their peak, Ku Ren and Shem Bien were an unstoppable screen comedy team, the undisputed stars of the silent era. But a major falling out has kept the duo offstage for decades. Despite the urgings of family and friends, Ku and Shem refuse to reconcile. As both men approach their twilight years, one last chance for a reunion presents itself in the form of a televised charity benefit. Ku Ren and Shem Bien struggle to come to terms with years of bitterness, and bring the house down once again.

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Status
Released
Budget
—
Box office
—
Language
Mandarin

Top billed cast

Behind the camera

Director

John Woo

Produced in

Hong Kong, Taiwan

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Release dates

  • TaiwanTW

    • Theatrical23 Aug 1984
    • Theatrical10 Jan 1985

Frequently asked questions

The Time You Need a Friend was released on 23 August 1984.

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