Zhifu (2003)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Yi'nan Diao

Writer:

Yi'nan Diao (writer)

Plot:

Economic unrest roils central China's Shaanxi Province: local factories are merging, thugs threaten managers...

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Kai Han
Hongli Liang
Hua Qin
Xueqiong Zeng

Also Known As:

Uniform (International: English title)

Runtime:

Canada:94 min

Country:

China | Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Authentic contemporary China, though a bit dour

Zhifu is a gritty film that explores the plight of people who have few skills and little education in a China shifting from a command to a market economy. It is also about the disconnect between the "common folk" and the authorities who ride herd over them. Having spent most of the 90s in China, I can say that Zhifu captures a lot of what daily life in urban China is like - family life, attitudes towards authority, the sense of aesthetic, and the contradictions of loyalty.

If I had a criticism of Zhifu, it would not be the lowish production value, which I think makes the film more authentic and fresh. Rather, I would take issue with the near utter lack of humor or happiness. The director may be trying too hard to depict a difficult situation. Chinese people are not typically morose or grim, and often express a sense of humor that is somehow cheerfully sardonic. The film would have been lifted to something more had we been shown this resilience, in addition to the hardships the characters endure.