Beijing Bicycle
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Movie Reviews of Beijing Bicycle
Movie Review: The bicycle represents INNOCENCE LOST...
Summary: 4 Stars
I saw bits and parts of this film last night on TV and decided to check it out again on dvd. It is quite surprising that a movie about a boy losing his bicycle can be compelling. It is a harrowing account of innocence lost and honestly, it is a bit brutal. It is a tale of a young man and his lost bike.
Plot synopsis partially derived from back cover:
Set in modern-day Beijing, this powerful and evocative drama depicts, in brilliant detail, the daily struggle that the millions of citizens of Beijing face day in and day out. When a young man, Guei, arrives in Beijing from a rural village he finds a job as a delivery boy. Discovering that must make 60 deliveries before he can pay for the loaned silver mountain bike which he needs for his work, he sets about to become the most efficient and diligent worker in his team. However, when he has almost finished paying his debt, his world is smashed by the discovery that the bike has been stolen. After a night spent running all over the city, he eventually spots a young man riding the bike. But when Jian, the new owner, claims to have bought the bicycle at a market, Guei enters into an often power struggle that will lead to violence and humiliation. In order to resolve his plight he must find the determination to fight for what is rightfully his.
The film is directed by Wang Xiaoshuai, he makes a realistic vision of what goes on in his native land. There are metaphors aplenty in this little film and some use of potent symbolisms here. The movie begins with a sweet "coming of age" drama that is symbolized by Guei's joy in riding a bike. After his bike gets stolen, the gloom and dark side of adulthood shows its face. Innocence is doomed; it becomes lost, while brutality, envy, and arrogance become more of a necessity or figurehead. This is all symbolized when Guei first takes his bike back. The bicycle I believe symbolizes Guei and Jian's soul (more of Guei's) or rather their transformation from optimistic innocence into their realization of the (sometimes) disappointing reality of life.
The film's main premise is actually a bit darker than one might expect. It has the potential to totally depress its viewers. If you didn't get the symbols, one might think that the film is too simple because the film does focus on two young men do going back and forth stealing the bicycle back from each other. It may get a bit repetitive. However, the film's message is actually not that simple. It also portrays Guei a gutsy, resourceful young man and totally committed to his cause while Jian is more of a whining, overbearing brat who depends on others. Two human characteristics are represented.
Thankfully, even with its very significant shift in tone, the director manages to pull off some lighter moments with pretty girls Zhao Xun and Gao Yuanyuan. They give us a break in the testosterone laden violence that makes up most of the film by brightening up the proceedings.
VIDEO/AUDIO: 1.85 ratio anamorphic widescreen. Clean and bright video transfer with good colors. The transfer isn't perfect, it has minor edge enhancements. 2.0 surround track in Mandarin is sufficient for this type of film.
Parting thoughts:
Although a lot of people may think Jian's actions in the final act is illogical, but I think his irrationality is why it hits more at home. Who says teenagers are rational or logical? BEIJING BICYCLE'S unflinching and realistic climax is dead on. In reality, even nice guys like Guei end up taking the fall for the arrogant Jians of the world. Sadly, this is cold fact.
Recommended! (3 ½ stars)
Movie Review: very watchable
Summary: 4 Stars
I just watched this movie last week. I am from China. I am not from Beijing though. What I like about this movie is, it really is so true in terms of the high school students' after school life. I felt I was among those teenger boys and girls while I was watching this movie. It is the first Chinese movie I saw that doesn't make students look the same. More than 10 years ago, when I was in China, all the Chinese movies would make all boys and girls appear in the movie standard good students, they don't fight, they always listens to adults and teachers, they help other kids, etc. Those kids appears in movie were good examples and standars for all Chinese students who watch movies. But they were good examples only, they were so phony, so unreal. Thus, when I was watching this movie, I did not echo with the country boy, but I had strong recognization with the city kids. I know Chinese high school kids just like that. Pretty girls were popular among boys and boys also fight for their girlfriends. They want to look cool and act cool too. They admire all western lifestyles. For example, the bycicle in this movie is not ordinary bycicle that Chinese people ususally ride. It is a mountain bike. So I assume it is at least more than $150 US dollars, maybe more, because some of my US coworkers do mountain biking, their bikes are very expensive, like more than $600. So the teenager boy got this mountain bike and want to have fun with his friends and also act cool in front of his girlfriend. Since the bike is not a cheap oridinary bike, therefore, both boys must fight for it. The country boy need it for his job. The city boy needed for a sense of pride and also fun because all his friends has one. Therefore, the fighting started and kept going all the way to the end. All these are very watchful. There are a few sense I don't like. First, the country boy shares the tooth brush with his friend(or uncle?). This is so disgusting. I have never heard people do that in China, not even in poor countryside. They rather not brush teeth than share the brush. This is very misleading. Second, I don't understand the role of the maid. Why is she in the movie? Just to show how the country people have their fun by watching a pretty young girl? I think this is to make fun of country people. In China right now, the city people(especially the big city like Beijing and Shanghai) look down on country side people. Therefore, in the movies, they make fun of country people even though they also show their sympathy towards them. Overall, I like to watch it. I think it is better than other Chinese movies I have seen such as Happy Times, Not one less. This movie got a good plot and those boys in the movie does not look like they are acting. They are like ture people especially the high school students look so true and familiar to me. And apparently, China does not produce movies that show this side of high school life. This is the only movie I have seen. In USA, there are many movies show the true side of teenager life. China lack this kind of movies. I think parents need to watch this kind of movie to understand what their kids really think. Usually kids don't want to tell their paretns their true thoughts. What they want, what they like, paretns don't understand and think if their kids don't object, they could ignore their kids' requests again and again. Like in this movie, the father promised to buy bike for his son, but he did not keep his promise and that hurt his son very bad. But Chinese paretns usually don't know, and they should be educated too.
Movie Review: I Hate It & Love It
Summary: 4 Stars
This is one movie where you just want to jump in and do something. My story is like some others I know; I kept seeing this movie on the shelf at the video store. I thought it looked ok but not interesting enough to spend money on. Thank god it finally came on TV and I think it was worth the wait. The movie is about a young man named Guei who is looking for work in Beijing. He's lucky and finds a delivery company and is happy about his new job. Guei is given a bike to complete his deliveries, after working for a while he will earn enough to buy the bike. After running into some trouble with a delivery and being extremely late picking up a package he returns to get his bike only to find out it was stolen. Guei then gets fired because the package was received late and now he has no bike. Guei is so determined that he asks his boss if he finds the bike could he have his job back. His boss is so impressed by this that he says yes.
Ok so maybe so far the story may not appeal that much but then another main character is bought in. Jian is a not so spoiled but very bratty school kid and somehow he ends up with a new bike that looks exactly like Guei's. In the movie everyone has a bike and they're very important. Jing's father is not bringing in enough money to get him a bike. His father believes in his son but just can't afford the bike so this kid is planning on doing anything to get a bike. Guei finally catches up with Jing and the two start a little war over the bike. The big problem is that Jing has a bunch of friends and Guei has none so you can imagine what happens every time Jing catches him.
Maybe some people will find this movie a bit funny I just couldn't. Guei played by Cui Lin has a presence and face that really makes you feel his pain. To some the movie may sound crazy but this guy did nothing wrong and ends up in a series of truly unfortunate events. He needs the bike to get money to live and the punk kid wants a bike to impress girls and ride around with his friends. Honestly the real genius lies in these characters, what some people may hate I believe are great performances by Cui Lin. He is a powerful character and looks and acts very realistic, trust me you'll feel him.
I did find the movie very frustrating at times cause the repetitive beatings got on my nerves. Also I think the director messed up by focusing a greater majority of time on Jing's life when Guei's could've developed and become and really become the sole of the story and not the bike itself. Guei is the more powerful actor and character. Overall this was a decent film that could've been better. The dialogue was not so good, when you expect or really want someone to speak nothing happens and your left with too many minutes of silence. There are a few unexpected things that come and a little bit of comedy. Once again that acting made this movie what it is and Cui Lin one great actor. Would I watch this movie again? Maybe not for a while but it is definitely worth at least one watch.
Movie Review: A Powerful Film
Summary: 4 Stars
Taking into consideration many of the critiques given earlier, I have to say that I disagree with much of the negative criticism surrounding the film. It's pacing was effective and helped add poignancy to the film, and quite frankly I cannot think of too many scenes that could have been dropped without losing a certain something in the film.My one big problem with this film is how many reviewers and critics seem to be commenting on its anthropological insights rather then plot devices itself. Yes, as a study of modern (and changing) china it is a fascinating. Yet, many sixth wave chinese films do the same, setting the scenes in an urban environment but looking at it through the eyes of those who cannot partake in all of its luxuries. Thus, looking at it from only this angle hardly does a film justice as it doesn't explain why the film could be well-received by chinese viewers, or anyone already familiar with the ongoing changes on mainland china.
What I personally took out of the film was how thoroughly cruel humans could be to each other. Yet, this cruelty wasn't the sort found in state repression or religious persecution, rather, it was a cruelty that came about through ordinary people making what in many ways were ordinary decisions.
Some spoilers ahead:
To illustrate my point: it is not out of the ordinary for high school boys to try to look out for each other. In that one scene by the rail tracks where that one biker is showing off his skills to a crowd, the group of students do call each other brother and obviously think of themselves as having a strong bond. Thus, it is easy to believe that they could painfully beat Guo in trying to get their friends "stolen" bike back. Similarly, in the scene in the bathhouse where Guo quite accidentaly receives a shower and is horrified to see that he has to pay, the young woman working the register insists that he pays for the services rendered. In both these instances, the viewer knows just how thoroughly damaging these actions were on the pitiful Guo, yet the anatagonists remain largely ignorant. For the gang of boys they are merely protecting their friend, for the receptionist she is just doing her job.
In both of these instances, and in many more like it spread throughout the film, the director and screen writer seem to be showing the audience the devastating consequences that seemingly normal decisions can have upon others, and how such wanton cruelty can be delivered quite unintentionally. All of this in my mind make this such a tragic and sorrowful film, challenging those who've watched it to re-examine many aspects of their own lives.
Movie Review: The Country Kid and the City Kid
Summary: 4 Stars
OK, let's see if I can get this straight...This guy comes in from the countryside to get a job in the big city (Beijing, of course). He gets a job as a courier. It is a dream job, because they give him a brand new bicycle the first day, and all he has to do is work really hard to pay it off. He is very happy about being paid to ride a bike around Beijing all day. Well, he finally gets the bike paid off, but it gets stolen. Then he gets fired because he failed to deliver an important document and the customer is angry. His boss is very upset with him, but tells him that he can have his job back if he finds his bike. So he becomes obsessed with finding his bike, especially since he has paid it off, and the bike belongs to him. By a stroke of fortune he finds the bike at a park. He grabs it and takes off. But the new owner, a city kid, is not happy to see it go. At first, our sympathies are clearly with the country kid, because who would take the side of a thief over a pour kid from the country who is just trying to make a living? But the thief didn't actually steal the bike, so he isn't really a thief. Except he actually is a thief because he took the money with which to buy the bike. Except he doesn't think of himself as a thief, because, well, its kinda complicated-you have to watch the movie..
So what happens is that the city kid's friends all gang up on the country kid, and they kinda have it out in what looks like the shell of an abandoned construction project. But the city kid and his friends are not able to take the country kid's bike away, `cause he is holding on to it for all he is worth and crying real loud. Finally they agree to take turns using it. The city kid and the country kid actually become friends, and that would seem to be the logical end of the movie, but it's not, because the city kid bonks this other gang kid on the head with a brick because he took his girlfriend. So the gang kid retaliates and the country kid gets caught in the tangle. Lots of twists and turns in this flick...oh, I forgot about the neighbor lady who is obviously a high-society city lady, but actually turns out not to be...hmmm...not too sure how she fits into the picture. I guess she is kind of a symbol for what is going on between the two main characters. The plot-especially the end-leaves a little to be desired, but it does give one a feel for life among the youth in China who are coming of age in a society addicted to change. And if you think of it as an all-expense-paid guided tour of Beijing, it really isn't a bad movie.