It’s My Time Review (2026 Toronto Film Festival)
I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that we’ve all at least put our hands on a Rubik’s Cube or some variation of the iconic 3×3 puzzle. I also don’t think it’s presumptuous to say that, for many, once it was mixed up, we never saw it returned to its completed self. Unless we happened to know that one genius who could work their wizard‑like fingers and solve it effortlessly. It’s My Time, the latest film from Bai Xue, takes the true story of Zhao Wenying and adapts it into a beautiful reminder that you’re never too old to achieve your dreams.
Zhao Yanhong (Michelle Yeoh) is a 70‑year‑old living in a care home after suffering a stroke. She was never meant to live in a care home, as she is rebellious and strong-willed. There, she meets Wu Youwei (Liu Haoran), a down‑on‑his‑luck former magic‑cubing champion who introduces her to the 3×3 cube. Intrigued and eager to learn, Zhao enlists Wu as her coach, determined to train and compete in official tournaments.
The film on paper shouldn’t work: a Chinese melodrama and sports film about magic cubes sounds downright preposterous. Yet director Xue manages to do the impossible. A huge part of that success comes from Yeoh’s performance. Swapping the swords and wuxia acrobatics of her earlier career for high‑speed cubing may sound nonsensical, but she brings a humanity and charm to the role that only a legendary, Oscar‑winning actress could deliver.
We cheer as she solves each cube; we grow sombre when life hands her a bad scramble that feels impossible to solve. Yet difficult doesn’t mean impossible. The film excels at showcasing its themes of pursuing a dream late in life. Too often, we dismiss older generations as senile or somehow less capable than the younger generations. Yet Zhao refuses to be defined by those assumptions. She wants to live her life to the fullest. This also stirs up guilt over her past with her son, as she wants to provide a better life for her son and his family. However, does she need to provide for them when they are doing well?
They simply want her to succeed and do her best at pursuing her dream. As Wu, played by the ever-excellent Haoran, says, she just needs to go out and have fun. No matter what, having fun should be part of achieving our dreams. The film captures that perfectly, by delivering laugh‑out‑loud humour throughout. Its tone and energy often reminded me of Being Towards Death; from the opening moments, the jokes come fast, and most, if not all, land. The result is a film that will have you crying with both laughter and sadness.
It helps that the film is edited to match this fever‑pitch ride. During the cubing sequences especially, the tension is astronomical, scenes that will have you cheering by the end. The film also uses creative on‑screen visuals to keep the energy at a consistently high intensity. You could argue it’s too intense at times, as the serious moments can feel slightly forced rather than like a natural pause. Still, it’s easy to forgive, because the ending is nothing short of a triumph.
It’s My Time is Chinese melodrama at its finest, a loving, pulse‑pounding film that reminds us that even at 70, we can still dream, set goals, and to embrace life no matter what. It’s a deeply moving story, one that had me reaching for tissues more than once while also laughing so loud it cured my end-of-TIFF exhaustion.
★★★★★
Had it’s North American Premiere at the 2026 Toronto Film Festival / Michelle Yeoh, Liu Haoran, Sa Rina, Bai Ke, Han Tongsheng / Dir: Bai Xue
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