Really enjoyed the photography and the locations. It goes from Shanxi to Yichang and Chongqing to Hubei and Guangdong, and the locations are used well
The stories feels prescient in a country where free expression is repressed, and there’s so much desperation and frustration bubbling under the surface
Zhao Tao features in one of the stories, and she is just hypnotic, she really has something unique - need to see more films with her
Heard a few people compare this to Uncut Gems, and it feels like it’s aiming for that authentic immersive experience but it’s not as good.
It’s still a great movie, just lost me a bit when the henchmen show up, and it becomes less real, more farcical - especially the sweet henchmen character, those guys exist for sure, but in the movie it felt a bit soft fake. Maybe I’m being too harsh
Solid film, some nice locations - my first introduction to the main actress Zhao Tao, she really holds the screen, plays a very strong character without much words - it’s not a wordy film
The male actor is the same guy from Black Coal Thin Ice 2014, which is another solid movie from north China
Good to see a decent mainland Chinese movie, and all the northern faces, and voices, and northern locations like Datong - it’s so rare to…
Oh man
The first hour I was so disturbed and agitated, what is the purpose of this movie? It made me angry. And then the meaning of it starts to emerge, and it’s heartbreaking- and this is why art and storytelling is so important, and can be so transformative
Such an amazing work of perspective and point of view. And the innocence of it, made my heart ache. Such a tragic story
