Movie Digest
Is it possible for a mundane incident to become a Kafkaesque metaphor for the system? When a high school boy and girl are photographed holding hands, their intimate moment is deemed indecent. The ensuing uproar engulfs the entire campus. The solution is a continuous rewrite of a letter of personality that the two must read to their class. As if being a teenager wasn’t complicated enough.
The Feel-Good Part
The ‘student dating’ incident may seem insignificant to western audiences unfamiliar with the Chinese educational system, and while Ning is never able to use it as a source of genuine tension or drama, it does serve as an interesting backdrop to their relationship. In this regard, the film works better as a character study about two teenagers on the verge of maturity learning about responsibilities and having to deal with the repercussions of their actions than as a romance.
Disappointed Factor
While this, combined with the film’s ending approach, may disappoint some viewers wishing for a more classic genre climax, it makes up for what it lacks in emotional punch with intelligence.
In-Depth Analysis
The story is set in Taizhou, a charming riverbank town in Jiangsu where the urban landscape has been preserved with enough historic characteristics to give the impression that time has stood still. The fact that the novel takes place in 2008 is only apparent because of a reference to the 2008 American presidential elections, but the scenery, dialogues, and mental attitudes of the characters belong to a China that is practically timeless.
The story centers around two high school classmates: He Xiaoshi is a typical adolescent kid, a little naive, physically like a young man but mentally still a child, who feels confused by his parents and teachers; he’s bored at school and won’t hesitate to accept help from peers who are smarter than him. She is the classic brilliant, a super-intelligent, studious young lady who grew up quickly due to difficult family circumstances and is constantly one step ahead of Xiaoshi, whom she patiently advises and assists with homework.
Star Power
Despite her youth, Ning has a strong filmography, as the daughter of famed filmmaker Zhang Yuan and screenwriter Ning Dai, and has appeared in a number of films as a youngster, including her parents’ award-winning Little Red Flowers from 2006. Ning also has a main role in An Insignificant Affair, a romantic high school drama that was nominated for the Pingyao International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award.
Overall Opinion
While the film isn’t particularly romantic or passionate, and it’s ultimately a touch light, it’s an impressive debut for Ning as a writer and filmmaker, and it’s worth seeing even if you’re not a fan of the genre.
