--
The complexity of the plot coupled with the controversial themes set against a backdrop of historic events made it a compelling film to behold. The beauty of this film lies in its hauntingly terrifying realism that most people don't usually think about, the thought of cultures evolving in such a brutally fast way while we all struggle to keep our problems under control not noticing how the rest of the world changes so drastically around us, makes this movie one of the best social commentaries ever filmed.
Created in 1993 it might appear old-fashioned in form for those who are used to today's blockbuster films but it is certainly modern in psychological dynamics, it’s a film that you can lose yourself in, one that washes over you like a pleasant nostalgic memory.
Its beautiful cinematography combined with powerful symbolism certainly deserves all of the awards it earned, masterfully crafted each scene is so poignant and engaging you don't even realize you're holding your breath while watching it. And despite the film’s length reaching almost three hours, Chen Kaige (director) certainly cannot be accused of it being draggy or slow-moving. The pace snowballs towards the last hour, with 30 years of history compacted into its final sixty minutes.
A few words must be spent on the quality of the acting, for both the adult and child cast, which was immaculate. Leslie Cheung once again showing us how versatile he truly was.
Our protagonist Dieyi is easily one of the most relatable characters, going through endless tragedy our little concubine delivers an iconic show for everybody to see. Witnessing the dark behavior of human nature through this film can only make you empathize with the people who suffered from countless hardships and misfortune.
The political dimension of the film, its social commentary and its relevance for today, where questions of how can one still put on makeup and play-act when war was breaking out the following day, gives us pause to reflect.
Despite (ironically) being initially banned in China but shown to international acclaim such as' Cannes & The New York Film Festival, Farewell My Concubine is a motion picture experience that only a few will soon forget after giving it a try.
For me, this film represents beauty in its purest form, a masterpiece that stands the test of time.
I will give this movie a full 10/10 .
Was this review helpful to you?
If you could gather the brief information about the topics i mentioned it would be sufficient to understand the movie.
At last i would recommend this movie to everyone out there who has a bit of slight interest in such movies and i would be more than happy to help you out in clarifying the movie further :)
Was this review helpful to you?
”I'm just an actor playing a king. You really are Concubine Yu.”
This was a tough film to take in. It's such a multi-layered phenomenon that it’s difficult to really take it all in and convey my thoughts on it. In some ways, this is a tough tale about unrequited love between two lifelong friends who have grown up in an Opera Troupe, playing the parts of The King and Concubine Yu in “Farewell My Concubine”. Dieyi is struggling with his homosexual love towards his friend, partner, brother (as Xiaolou calls him) while failing into the trap of art limitating life. And to make things harder, Xiaolou has fallen in love with another. In other ways, it’s a social retelling of the struggles of the Chinese citizens through pivotal yet tumultuous events of the 20th Century - beginning with the Sino-Japanese War then the Revolution with Mao and his army, then the cultural revolution. It does a great job of combining it all together for one cohesive epic spanning near 3 hours.The run time was a joy to sit through as this film was truly enthralling. The performances more than matched the rest of the film making, the grand costumes, poignant soundtrack and story elements. Leslie Cheung brought his absolute all to, what was essentially, two characters - Concubine Yu and Dieyi. The struggle of it all is hard to portray, and Cheung brought the role to life. Impactful film from all aspects.
Fair warning to all (and spoilers): Suicide is a main fixture in all points of the film. You’ve been warned.
Was this review helpful to you?
