Not One Less
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Movie Reviews of Not One Less
Movie Review: One More for Not One Less
Summary: 5 Stars
Recently I returned from a visit to a rural school in Shanxi Province, in north central China which has much of the same makings as the one depicted in this film. Zhang has once again turned his lense onto an overlooked aspect of Chinese society. This film was well received by Beijing's expat community (judging by the turnout for its English language premiere) and it was no less a success with Chinese audiences, an important consideration. While Zhang is not as highly acclaimed by many of his countrymen (a fact often overlooked in the West), he does produce a believable effort here. It is worth noting that Zhang was accused of somehow toeing the government line when he made this film but that is both wrong and patronizing. Indeed, Zhang was indignant that so many "supporters" in the West (i.e. at the Cannes Film Festival) raised suspicions about his motives that he withdrew it and another fine film, "The Road Home," from the competition. If you aren't one of those Westerners who has succumbed to the simplistic binary thinking of East vs. West, of Good China and Bad China, etc., than get this film. It will touch your heartstrings and pluck them again in years to come.Movie Review: Thick and Rich in Chinese Countryside Culture
Summary: 5 Stars
Zhang Yimou is a genius. Watch this movie.
If you have a heart it will break. If you have eyes, they will cry as your chest is heaving. If you have a mind it will work to make sense of the seeming contradictions that our cultural bias creates; but once you've figured it out your heart will be filled with love and admiration for the young teacher who, in Chinese tradition, devotes herself completely to her students. Your eyes will see through the veil of culture and in ways that others cannot to an understanding that these countryside people are not poor; but rich in ways that we in the west are starving for. There is true meaning and devotion in their daily life, and a connectedness to people that is deep and profound.
This is one of the foreign films that reconnects me with the years that I spent in China and the love and gratitude that I hold for my many Chinese friends. The story may seem hard to believe; but all of the situations and behaviors depicted are very much within the enduring traditional cultural pattern that exists in China today. "If you are my teacher for one day; you are my teacher for life." Watch and learn. Watch and love.
Movie Review: THE CHINA YOU DON'T SEE IN THE NEWS!!
Summary: 5 Stars
NOT ONE LESS is in the same category as The Children of Heaven and The Color of Paradise. If you like children (especially adorable Chinese children), are interested in education (anybody who's ever been a substitute teacher will definitely identify with Wei-students are no different in rural China than anywhere else when it comes to taking advantage of substitutes), interested in learning about other cultures (we should all be interested in China), then this is a wonderful film. Definitely a film that can be watched by the whole family (should be old enough to read the sub-titles which are not hard). Foreign film makers definitely seem to have the knack of making films that are extremely interesting without all the special effects and craziness that American films seem to need to appeal to audiences. Like the other two mentioned, this is a film about people, real people actually as these are not professional actors. ENJOY!! WWW.LUSREVIEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM
Movie Review: We need more movies like "Not One Less"
Summary: 5 Stars
This is an enjoyable drama set largely in an impovershed country village where a 13 year old girl has been given the responsibility of acting as substitute teacher until the real teacher returns. As several students have already left the school for various reasons--she is given the condition that there be "Not One Less"-upon the teachers return if she is to be paid. One student is lost-after being selected because of her athletic ability-to attend a specialy school in the "City"--the Mayor explains that this is acceptable--because it's for her own improvement--but then another student is sent to the City to work in order to help his family. The pursuit of the young boy then becomes the focal point of the story.
For a Chinese movie--this has a happier than usual ending, but all things considered it's very well done. Personally, when compared to "modern" children teasing for computer games and videos--I found the scene near the end where the children are excited because they have colored chalk quite refreshing!
An excellent movie--well worth owning!
Mandarin with English subtitles
Movie Review: Less is More
Summary: 5 Stars
Zhang Yimou lifts the vail and provides a wonderous glimpse into life in rural China. The movie tells the story of a young girl who must take over a small rural school while the regular teacher goes away to take care of family matters. If upon the return of the teacher there is "Not One Less" student, she will be paid, but if she looses any of her pupils, the money she so desperately needs will be forfeit. She is soon tested as she finds students are torn between going to school and obligations to help their families tend the land. The young girl, Wei Minzeh, who has no previous acting experience is stunningly sweet, incredibly determined, and savy. It is hard to imagine why she was not nominated for Best Actress. The Director did much more than expose life in China to the outsiders view, he showed the universality of human traits such as indifference, bureaucratic thinking and finally compassion. Ulitimately one realizes that this movie could have just as easily been filmed in West Virginia, Maine or the farmlands of California.