A neglected young boy's father wants to sell him in Kaili, central China. Enter the child's Uncle Chen, who hopes to rescue the boy. That's the simple part of the plot.
This visually compelling film takes us on a journey through a poor but beautiful region of mist and hills, hopscotching through time. The story is difficult to follow, but it doesn't really matter, as we are drawn into a dreamlike experience.
There are hints here of powerful intrigue. For example, young Weiwei's dad places him in the care of a thug called Monk. This makes us nervous because Monk's own son was murdered -- buried alive after his hand was chopped off. It's gruesome, and we never really get to the bottom of the story. But that's OK, because the best part of this movie is Chen (Yongzhong Chen), a person of integrity who observes and listens well, in addition to tending to think in the tropes of China's centuries-old literary tradition. Who wouldn't love a character like this? Savor these improvised lines: "I'm looking for you. I've made my new home in the eyes of a bird."
The oft-discussed long tracking shots of this film place the viewer on the back of a motorcycle, ribboning through a Chinese landscape painting come alive. We don't know where we're heading, but it's a most intriguing ride.
This visually compelling film takes us on a journey through a poor but beautiful region of mist and hills, hopscotching through time. The story is difficult to follow, but it doesn't really matter, as we are drawn into a dreamlike experience.
There are hints here of powerful intrigue. For example, young Weiwei's dad places him in the care of a thug called Monk. This makes us nervous because Monk's own son was murdered -- buried alive after his hand was chopped off. It's gruesome, and we never really get to the bottom of the story. But that's OK, because the best part of this movie is Chen (Yongzhong Chen), a person of integrity who observes and listens well, in addition to tending to think in the tropes of China's centuries-old literary tradition. Who wouldn't love a character like this? Savor these improvised lines: "I'm looking for you. I've made my new home in the eyes of a bird."
The oft-discussed long tracking shots of this film place the viewer on the back of a motorcycle, ribboning through a Chinese landscape painting come alive. We don't know where we're heading, but it's a most intriguing ride.