This is an amazing film that satisfies every criteria I have for cinema: excellent acting, great story, absorbing characters, consistent pacing, and beautiful images. Ge You gives a consummate performance, and it is through his eyes that we view the story; Gong Li, though not lavished with the attention Zhang Yimou usually gives her, provides the heart and soul of the film. It's her suffering and triumph that complements and completes Ge You's. Two things in particular elevate their performances: their complete avoidance of melodrama and their chemistry. They're flawlessly convincing as married couples who have gone through decades of turmoil.
Many have claimed that this film is an overt attack on Mao's reign, but I disagree. At its core the movie is about living -- about how people endure and adapt through the worst of times. To this extent the movie is marvelously effective, but because of its focus on the characters, it's easy to overturn the objectivity and construe a message from the viewer and not the film. That said, the film does subtly criticize Communism, but in a matter-of-fact and objective manner. When tragedy strikes, the characters don't turn around and blame Mao Zedong; the film leaves it up to us to draw interpretations from the tragedies and joys we see. Perhaps this makes it an all the more potent assault, but the important thing is, Zhang Yimou didn't make this film to denounce Mao; Gong Li and Ge You don't have secret anti-Communism fires burning in their eyes. It's first and foremost a heartfelt, sympathetic, and beautiful portrayal of the endurance and spirit of common people in the face of seemingly unsurmountable odds.
Many have claimed that this film is an overt attack on Mao's reign, but I disagree. At its core the movie is about living -- about how people endure and adapt through the worst of times. To this extent the movie is marvelously effective, but because of its focus on the characters, it's easy to overturn the objectivity and construe a message from the viewer and not the film. That said, the film does subtly criticize Communism, but in a matter-of-fact and objective manner. When tragedy strikes, the characters don't turn around and blame Mao Zedong; the film leaves it up to us to draw interpretations from the tragedies and joys we see. Perhaps this makes it an all the more potent assault, but the important thing is, Zhang Yimou didn't make this film to denounce Mao; Gong Li and Ge You don't have secret anti-Communism fires burning in their eyes. It's first and foremost a heartfelt, sympathetic, and beautiful portrayal of the endurance and spirit of common people in the face of seemingly unsurmountable odds.