Brief History of a Family

In modern China, following the end of the one-child policy, a middle-class family welcomes the mysterious new friend of their only son. After an incident at school, the two boys form a close bond, and the newcomer gradually becomes a frequent presence in the household. As he integrates into their daily lives, his presence disrupts the family balance and exposes hidden emotions, unmet expectations, and long-buried secrets.

Written and directed by Jianjie Lin, this production is the second film in the director's career, following Gu from 2016. The cast features Zu Feng, Ke-Yu Guo, Sun Xilun, and Lin Muran. A co-production between Denmark, Qatar, China, and France, the drama blends elements of mystery and thriller over a 100-minute runtime.

The film has received generally positive feedback from viewers and critics. On IMDb, it holds a rating of 6.7/10 based on 880 votes, while on TMDB, it has a score of 6.3/10 from 32 votes. Film critics gave the movie a higher rating of 7.4/10 based on 38 reviews.