In the opinion of Hong Kong film critic Li Zhuo-tao, the way Chen Kuo-fu handles this theme of young people's "confusion and searching" is far better than most "school" films, for it "starts from the viewpoint of the new generation, and shows a startling understanding of and respect for their ideas and feelings. It also conveys an implicit condemnation of the hypocrisy and apathy of the adult world."
香港影評人李焯桃認為，陳國富處理這個青少年「迷惘與追尋」的主題，一反大多數校園片的陋習，「從新生代的觀點出發，對他們的思想和感情有驚人的瞭解與尊重，對成人世界的虛偽和麻木也有含蓄的批判」。