Drama Digest:
A man must attempt to clear his name after a play accuses him of committing a murder 30 years ago.
The Feel-Good Part:
However, the theme of this film extends beyond family generations, as the film dares to investigate the influence of wealthy sponsors and government bureaucrats on the truth. That is the most thrilling aspect of the film.
The Disappointing Factor:
This is a fast-paced and slow-burning film. The film is divided over 11 chapters, hence the title, with the plot and protagonists gradually disclosed as the conversation moves at a breakneck rate.
In-Depth Analysis:
The Screenwriter & Director is Chen Jian Bin. We follow Ma Fuli and a slew of his family, friends, and total strangers in The Eleventh Chapter after he discovers that the local theatre is putting on a show based on a 30-year-old murder case involving him killing his ex-wife and her lover. The problem for Ma Fuli is that the tale isn’t entirely factual, and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t seem to persuade anybody to amend it and clean his name. However, as the play progresses, more and more parties become involved, each wanting to have a say in how the story is told.
Star Power:
Chen Jianbin, the writer, director, and principal actor, plays Ma Fuli, a laid-back and indecisive man. He is joined by his controlling wife, Zhou Xun, and his stepdaughter, Leah Dou, real life daughter of famous Chinese singer and actress Faye Wong. These two women are crucial to Ma Fuli’s tale.
Overall Opinion:
Where have I seen a social criticism wrapped in a black comedy like that before? I’m not saying this is on that level, but it’s certainly amusing enough to make two hours fly by. This is an amusing picture, but make sure you can keep up with the fast subtitles, and, as appears to be the new usual in Chinese cinema, stay for the post-credit sequences, which tie up a couple of the film’s plots.
