Stand by Me

In the 9th century Tang Dynasty China, a powerful emperor is challenged by a group of formidable eunuchs who hold immense sway over the royal court. The emperor decides to strike back by ordering the execution of their leader, Qiu Shi Liang (He Sheng Ming). However, the mission fails, and the eunuchs seek revenge by sentencing the emperor's loyal first minister and his entire family to death. But the minister's twin daughters, Cheng Ruo Yun (Zhang Yu Xi) and Qiu Yan Zhi (Xuan Syun Lou), manage to escape. The eunuchs now hold even more power over the imperial court, reducing the emperor to a mere puppet. But the two daughters of the minister have evaded detection and are headed towards very different fates... Yan Zhi becomes part of Qiu Shi Liang's household, secretly determined to avenge her family's death. Meanwhile, her sister Ruo Yun joins a group of military professionals enlisted by the new young emperor Li Yan (Cheng Yi), who is determined to rid the palace of the eunuchs' scourge once and for all. Ruo Yun pledges her life to help the emperor achieve his goal, even if it means putting herself in harm's way. As the duo works together, they begin to form a romantic bond. But will the emperor still trust her if he discovers her true identity and her connection to his mortal enemy? "Dream in Chang'an" is a 2021 Chinese drama series directed by Zeng Li Zhen, Zhao Li Jun, and Liu Guo Nan.

You can stream Stand by Me on: Rakuten VIKI

Some movies that have similar genres and were produced around the same time as Stand by Me include The Brutalist, Beautiful Boy, The Whale, Bombshell, Perfect Days, Nomadland.