01-18-2020, 07:48 PM
An assortment of people living in an impoverished Chinese city struggle to survive in near hopeless situations that only get worse: a grandfather being urged by his grown children to move into a senior center, a schoolboy hunted by a bully gang, a schoolgirl caught up in scandal with the vice-dean of the school... The list goes on, of disillusioned people crossing paths and occasionally connecting, not that any good comes of it. The only ray of light in their terrible and deteriorating circumstances is the occasional mention, and interest in, a circus show in a distant city where there's an elephant that does nothing but just sit still. Several of these characters eventually embark on a pilgrimage to see the elephant.
This is a very depressing film that I started watching a week ago but quickly stopped, as I wasn't in the proper frame of mind to endure it. Last night I felt robust enough to give it another go. It's absolutely brilliant in so many ways, an amazing tour de force by Hu Bo in his feature film directorial debut. Depressing it is, but not interminable, as it does eventually wrap up at 3 hours and 54 minutes.
There is some debate as to the film's existential prognosis, whether life is an insufferable torment without hope, or whether the message here is one of hope. The ending can be read in many ways.
But as if to clarify its message, Hu Bo committed suicide shortly after its completion -- age 29.
This is a profoundly moving and disturbing movie that requires a proper state of mind to endure, and a lot of patience. My goodness it is grim. You might rightly ask, "Why the fuck did you watch this?"
I guess I wanted to see the elephant.
This is a very depressing film that I started watching a week ago but quickly stopped, as I wasn't in the proper frame of mind to endure it. Last night I felt robust enough to give it another go. It's absolutely brilliant in so many ways, an amazing tour de force by Hu Bo in his feature film directorial debut. Depressing it is, but not interminable, as it does eventually wrap up at 3 hours and 54 minutes.
There is some debate as to the film's existential prognosis, whether life is an insufferable torment without hope, or whether the message here is one of hope. The ending can be read in many ways.
But as if to clarify its message, Hu Bo committed suicide shortly after its completion -- age 29.
This is a profoundly moving and disturbing movie that requires a proper state of mind to endure, and a lot of patience. My goodness it is grim. You might rightly ask, "Why the fuck did you watch this?"
I guess I wanted to see the elephant.
