| Overall Grade: |
A+ |
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| Story: |
A |
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| Acting: |
A+ |
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| Direction: |
A |
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| Visuals: |
A |
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Very well done...and I know my Chinese movies!
by REI M (movies profile)
Mar 19, 2009
Living in China with my Chinese hubby has given me the chance to experience many interesting and not-so-interesting films that I would have never been exposed to back in the states. This is one of the movies that I will definitely write my mother about. The story is set in Sichuwan (think Chongqing or Chunking) and tells a story of desire, disappointment and love. The acting and visuals are very authentic (you would think that they would always be but most cities in China today look more like New York or Tokyo- lots of people, tall buildings and kind of gritty), and the attitudes expressed are actually still around...although somewhat diluted with time. The need for a male heir is like the quest for fire to most Chinese families- firstly to carry on the family name, then to inherit money and property (it almost always goes to direct male heirs- then to male cousins with the same family name...never daughters who will take it into her husbands family. If there is no male heir they will adopt someone as a Godson or actually go out and find a boy with no family) The eventual thawing of the grandfather's heart was very realistic...my own daughter born last year (and having the expectation of being the first GRANDSON) was almost totally rejected by her own Chinese grandfather until she was about 1 year old. He would not touch her or care for her because he felt that he had failed the family by having a Granddaughter. It was only after my hubby explained that we planned on 4 children that he began to warm up to her...he's now planning for his first Grandson to be born (Not that I'm pregnant though). So the attitudes are still here just not as prominent. They do not sell children (well not in the cities and only for marriage) but the infanticide rates are up there.
Sorry for the long winded explanation but it's just an FYI |
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