The box office of "Ran Dong" has been compared to "Douzhi'er" (a traditional Chinese drink made from fermented mung beans) by film critics. A film critic stated that audiences should familiarize themselves with the movie's style before watching it, in order to avoid unnecessarily disappointing themselves.

 As of August 24th, at 11:00 AM, the movie "Ran Dong" released during the Qixi Festival has been in theaters for three days. It has received a rating of 6.2 on Douban and a box office revenue of only 17.944 million RMB. In the summer when movies like "The Disappearance of My Mother" and "All In" have successively crossed the 3 billion mark in box office, "Ran Dong" seems to be less popular.

The phrase "The box office of 'Ran Dong' is like douzhi'er (a traditional Chinese drink made from fermented mung beans), relying entirely on netizens' curiosity" has gained attention and become a hot topic on Weibo.

Directed by Chen Zheyi (Singaporean), the film stars Zhou Dongyu, Liu Haoran, and Qu Chu Xiao. It tells the story of three young people who meet briefly in Yanji and unlock their dormant desires.

The characters in the film are intertwined in ambiguity and delicate emotions. Each pair of characters engages in emotional exchanges, leading some audiences to describe it as "She loves her, and he loves him."

Many viewers who have seen the movie have sensed the flow of passion. Director Chen Zheyi responded in an interview on China Central Television's Movie Channel that while shooting bathing scenes involving Zhou Dongyu and Liu Haoran, he felt deeply moved, experiencing a mix of sadness and desire that added layers and depth.

However, some moviegoers have mentioned feeling quite awkward after watching the film. They found the portrayal of a love triangle as "three people together" uncomfortable and discouraged couples from watching it. Some even compared "Ran Dong" to "My People, My Homeland," stating that if one couple's portrayal was malicious, the only ones who could surpass that maliciousness were the same malicious couple.

In response, a media account known as "3rd Hall Ticket Inspector" posted an explanation on Weibo, saying that only a small number of people are suitable for watching "Ran Dong," and a large group of deceived viewers have been dragged in. The post advised against blaming the audience for not understanding, as the audience is the most unfortunate party.

According to the post, this film lacks contemporaneity, and everything is coincidental and idealized, not representative of any generation of young people. It's just about conveying human suffering.

Film critic and writer Chen Linggu told Jiupai News that "Ran Dong" presents a refined narrative structure and complex character relationships in a natural state, reminiscent of Truffaut's classic film "Jules and Jim."

When watching such a movie, the focus is on feeling the emotions, immersing oneself in the dense atmosphere created by the visuals, freely enjoying the uncertainty rather than trying to seriously understand the plot.

"It doesn't care about telling a linear complete story, nor does it have obvious dramatic conflicts. Instead, it allows characters to reveal secrets about their past, emotions, and desires in a state of freedom and spontaneity, similar to a spiritual adventure. In this process, life coordinates are reconstructed. Director Chen Zheyi's skill lies hidden in this spontaneity," said Chen Linggu.

He also advised moviegoers to have a basic understanding of the story and style of a film before going to the theater, to avoid misunderstanding the movie and hurting themselves, especially if they are bringing children to watch.