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Xiao Wu (1997)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writer:
Zhang Ke Jia (writer)
Release Date:
13 January 1999 (France)
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Plot:
Little pocket thief Wu never got away from the streets like his friends did. He realises that he is alone...
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Plot Keywords:
Love
|
Pickpocket
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China
Awards:
6 wins
&
1 nomination
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User Comments:
great story, great cast, great film
more (8 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | Hongwei Wang | ... | Xiao Wu |
| Hao Hongjian | ... | Mei Mei |
| Zuo Baitao | ||
| Ma Jinrei | ||
| Liu Junying | ||
| Yonghao Liang | ||
| An Qunyan | ||
| Jiang Dongdong | ||
| Zhao Long | ||
| Wang Reiren | ||
| Jinfeng Gao | ||
| Li Renzhu | ||
| Wu Juan | ||
| Ji Jinshu | ||
| Ren Zhaorui |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
France:105 min | Taiwan:108 min
Language:
Color:
Certification:
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Director Cameo: [Zhang Ke Jia]the man sent by Xiao Yang to return Xiao Wu's wedding present.
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in Ren xiao yao (2002)
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (8 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Xiao Wu (1997)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| 16mm or digital before blown up to 35mm? | ZombieTongue |
| the poster is wrong | xjing52 |
Recommendations
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| IMDb Drama section | IMDb Hong Kong section | Add this title to MyMovies |
Unlike a lot of other contemporary Chinese films, Xiao Wu succeeds in gaining viewers empathy for the title character. We never really find out how the so-called "artisan pickpocket" got himself into the state he's in; it's almost as if he woke up one morning to find that he was alone and jobless at an age when he should be settling down like all of his friends. However, not knowing how he arrived at this point makes his growing desperation more tangible as we see him reaching out to everyone he can, only to be rejected.
Wang Hongwei is amazing as the title character, he makes it easy to relate to the character's loneliness and longing. Considering the actors in Xiao Wu are all amateurs, Wang's performance is even more amazing. Granted, he was given a great character to work with: in spite of his occupation, Xiao Wu is a nice guy. (His beautifully awkward relationship with the karaoke hostess is a fine example of this).
All in all, I think this is one of the best Chinese films from the past decade. The characters are better developed than in other contemporary films, and the story is neither contrived nor simplistic. Xiao Wu would seem to be a lot more accessible than other Chinese art films because it lacks the slow bits characteristic of that genre. I would highly recommend Xiao Wu to anyone interested in Chinese cinema.