With Memento style film structure, Pulp Fiction style story telling, and Snatch style plot and action, the first Chinese dark comedy, The Crazy Stone sets a milestone for Chinese films. The film title says all. It is a crazily hilarious film about three groups of people trying to steal a piece of emerald. The language is in Chinese local dialect from Sichuan. Even you don't understand the dialect, Chinese subtitle is available. All performers did a great job in their roles. The story is simple but very close to nowadays people's life, which brings proximity to different audiences. The film is currently a big hit in China, outruns all other foreign films. If you like to have a good laugh, or to know a little bit about nowadays Chinese plebeian life, you shouldn't miss this film.
15 Reviews
so much fun and so much to think
lihans051820 August 2006
Just when i gave up on Chinese movies, there came the Crazy Stone. It brought me so much fun and made me to regain the hope for the Chinese movies. Never would I consider any liberal and entertaining stuff, such as the Crazy Stone, coming out nowadays from a social context that was tightly controlled, like the Chinese political environment.With a brand new vision the young and open minded director Hao Ning, again, showed us his talents of convincing over people's pockets and their hearts. The director, simply like anyone else, sees the craziness in today's China and has the urge to express his and also everybody else's bewilderness, coz everybody is so lost in front of the money. people do not know where they are and where to go , more crazily, they do not have the rights and power to know about it, so why do not people just make fun of the whole madness, isn't it what China all about now, chaos and craziness... ...
Crazy, grotesque humor
xuefeiding23 April 2020
The new narration of Chongqing dialect, the classic lines with black humor style, the unique narrative skills of ring and ring, the absurd and logical plot, as well as the montage technique, timely Peking Opera and other music, constitute the crazy stone directed by Ning Hao
The rebirth of Chinese comedy
chenj-125 May 2007
Due to many reasons such as censorship, financial problems etc. Chinese movie industry has been at the bottom of food chain for decades. Only few people can make money from movie industry without the help of government. Later, many directors such as Zhang Yimou, Chen kaige turn to make all those blockbuster movies with high volume of investment. However, it does not seems to be a good way to keep Chinese movies alive. Empty plots, awkward performance of good-looking actors and actresses could not save movies. They are rip off money from people once, twice but never thrice.
Crazy Stone was born under the circumstance that Chinese people are so disappointed by those movies made by zhang Yimou and Chen kaige that they only spend few us dollars buying illegal DVD copies on streets rather than going to movie cinemas. The enriched plot, excellent performances of unknown actors and hilarious story save the last hope of this country's movies. The movie is produced by famous Hongkong actor Andy Lau's company with very little investment, however, it does not bother the quality at all. In fact, the quality is I believe as one of the best in Chinese movie history.
All those black humors in the movies deserve to be mentioned. However, people who have not lived in China for years could not understand why it's funny, or even worse, it kills interests of people who get used to the vision effects of Hollywood productions or the romance and depressions of European movies.
In a conclusion, this movie is highly recommended for people who are living in China and would like to learn about this country. Hopefully, you will enjoy and understand it.
Crazy Stone was born under the circumstance that Chinese people are so disappointed by those movies made by zhang Yimou and Chen kaige that they only spend few us dollars buying illegal DVD copies on streets rather than going to movie cinemas. The enriched plot, excellent performances of unknown actors and hilarious story save the last hope of this country's movies. The movie is produced by famous Hongkong actor Andy Lau's company with very little investment, however, it does not bother the quality at all. In fact, the quality is I believe as one of the best in Chinese movie history.
All those black humors in the movies deserve to be mentioned. However, people who have not lived in China for years could not understand why it's funny, or even worse, it kills interests of people who get used to the vision effects of Hollywood productions or the romance and depressions of European movies.
In a conclusion, this movie is highly recommended for people who are living in China and would like to learn about this country. Hopefully, you will enjoy and understand it.
Good one
harry_tk_yung3 September 2006
The popularity of this movie in China is quite logical: black comedies to the extent that this movie has gone are still a novelty and it is quite well done. If the movie makers have been inspired by only one "foreign" movie, it would probably be "Lock, stock and two smoking barrels", as someone has already mentioned. But of course they have seen a lot more, many of which have been reflected in this movie, as intentional parodies or otherwise.
"Crazy stone" has a somewhat convoluted plot, which is not necessarily hopelessly complicated. All it requires is a little attention. Filming technique and editing is not as avant-garde as some of the classic which have become familiar by now Pulp Fiction, Memento, Amores perros, 21 Grams, just to name a few. There are just enough sleight-of-hand montages to keep it interesting. So does the proliferation of characters a least a dozen, in four or five "interest groups". Dickens' type caricature or more flesh-and-blood, they are all well acted.
Together with my recommendation, I would like to mention one interesting thing that captured my attention filmmakers shooting a movie in Chongqing seem to be fond of showcasing the cable car across Chang Jiang (Long River). Saw one recently in another quality Chinese movie, "Sheng huo xiu".
"Crazy stone" has a somewhat convoluted plot, which is not necessarily hopelessly complicated. All it requires is a little attention. Filming technique and editing is not as avant-garde as some of the classic which have become familiar by now Pulp Fiction, Memento, Amores perros, 21 Grams, just to name a few. There are just enough sleight-of-hand montages to keep it interesting. So does the proliferation of characters a least a dozen, in four or five "interest groups". Dickens' type caricature or more flesh-and-blood, they are all well acted.
Together with my recommendation, I would like to mention one interesting thing that captured my attention filmmakers shooting a movie in Chongqing seem to be fond of showcasing the cable car across Chang Jiang (Long River). Saw one recently in another quality Chinese movie, "Sheng huo xiu".
A Nutshell Review: Crazy Stone
DICK STEEL27 August 2006
Warning: Spoilers
So far, the FOCUS: First Cuts series of movies have been rather mediocre. Taiwan's The Shoe Fairy was rather plain, Hong Kong's I'll Call You was concentrated too much on its effects, and Singapore's Love Story was just awful. The three aforementioned movies lacked a compelling story to tell, and I was holding my breath on how a movie titled Crazy Stone will present itself.
I bought into it, hook line and sinker, within the first ten minutes. The opening scenes were a class act in editing, presentation, with a mixture of humour, and wastes no time in introducing the ensemble characters of the movie - an ex-cop turned Chief Security Officer, his Toto-fanatical sidekick, the arrogant crony of an unscrupulous real estate developer, a skirt-chasing photographer, a trio of bumbling crooks, and a professional thief who just has no luck.
Directed by China's Ning Hao, Crazy Stone is one heck of a heist movie with deft touches in presentation. Never too flashy with its special effects, or repeating its non-linear narrative technique too often, it just about presents itself almost perfectly, keeping the audience constantly engaged throughout the movie. I can't finger a dull moment in any scene actually, and the real reward is when you pay attention to the little details, as these will be used at some point to deliver that awaited punctuation to the story. There're plenty of irony infused, which somewhat brings about certain pleasure in recognizing them. The sets are beautifully urban, and at times just plain ugly - the toilets just have to be seen.
The casts are a joy to watch, and although relative unknowns, they bring out just about the best in the story, which is something like a Spy Vs Spy, cat and mouse, cloak and dagger game between the protectors of a piece of valuable jade, and the crooks who want to steal it for the various motivations they have. The story's akin to the guessing game of correctly selecting which cup amongst three, is a coin hidden under, once the cups are shuffled randomly with sleigh of hand, and to the characters, presents itself like a huge maze, set to an eclectic soundtrack.
I don't get the opportunity to watch that many Chinese films (and here I mean those made in China), and I'd say that if this is how a heist movie can beat, in my opinion, some of the fare that Hollywood churns out in the same genre (not that they were fantastic, but I enjoyed them nonetheless), then I would be eagerly waiting for another Chinese movie from another genre proving itself to be amongst the best. This movie doesn't look expensive, and it's an apt reminder that it almost always boils down to the quality of the story, to make it a hit with a viewer.
As with the other First Cut movies, a touch of Andy Lau is included, and though he did not star in a cameo here, his song "Wang Qing Shui" was featured in part (I believe twice) in the movie, though only in passing, but enough to ID it.
Looks like his venture with these 6 films has uncovered a gem, and I'm secretly hoping the remaining films in this series - Malaysia's Rain Dogs (Yasmin Ahmad in a role you know?) and Hong Kong's Parental Guidance, will also prove to be as entertaining, and refreshing. Crazy Stone will go into my list as a contender for one of my favourite movies of this year. It's a pity it's only screening at ONE theatre in Singapore, so make every effort to watch it, soon!
I bought into it, hook line and sinker, within the first ten minutes. The opening scenes were a class act in editing, presentation, with a mixture of humour, and wastes no time in introducing the ensemble characters of the movie - an ex-cop turned Chief Security Officer, his Toto-fanatical sidekick, the arrogant crony of an unscrupulous real estate developer, a skirt-chasing photographer, a trio of bumbling crooks, and a professional thief who just has no luck.
Directed by China's Ning Hao, Crazy Stone is one heck of a heist movie with deft touches in presentation. Never too flashy with its special effects, or repeating its non-linear narrative technique too often, it just about presents itself almost perfectly, keeping the audience constantly engaged throughout the movie. I can't finger a dull moment in any scene actually, and the real reward is when you pay attention to the little details, as these will be used at some point to deliver that awaited punctuation to the story. There're plenty of irony infused, which somewhat brings about certain pleasure in recognizing them. The sets are beautifully urban, and at times just plain ugly - the toilets just have to be seen.
The casts are a joy to watch, and although relative unknowns, they bring out just about the best in the story, which is something like a Spy Vs Spy, cat and mouse, cloak and dagger game between the protectors of a piece of valuable jade, and the crooks who want to steal it for the various motivations they have. The story's akin to the guessing game of correctly selecting which cup amongst three, is a coin hidden under, once the cups are shuffled randomly with sleigh of hand, and to the characters, presents itself like a huge maze, set to an eclectic soundtrack.
I don't get the opportunity to watch that many Chinese films (and here I mean those made in China), and I'd say that if this is how a heist movie can beat, in my opinion, some of the fare that Hollywood churns out in the same genre (not that they were fantastic, but I enjoyed them nonetheless), then I would be eagerly waiting for another Chinese movie from another genre proving itself to be amongst the best. This movie doesn't look expensive, and it's an apt reminder that it almost always boils down to the quality of the story, to make it a hit with a viewer.
As with the other First Cut movies, a touch of Andy Lau is included, and though he did not star in a cameo here, his song "Wang Qing Shui" was featured in part (I believe twice) in the movie, though only in passing, but enough to ID it.
Looks like his venture with these 6 films has uncovered a gem, and I'm secretly hoping the remaining films in this series - Malaysia's Rain Dogs (Yasmin Ahmad in a role you know?) and Hong Kong's Parental Guidance, will also prove to be as entertaining, and refreshing. Crazy Stone will go into my list as a contender for one of my favourite movies of this year. It's a pity it's only screening at ONE theatre in Singapore, so make every effort to watch it, soon!
Where the hell did this come from.
mncfjzg5 April 2010
For those who don't know much about the movie regulation system in China,just imagine you are a child from a very old-fashioned Christian family,if you don't listen,the chance you get grounded or abused is sky high.
That's why the first time I saw this movie,confusion stroke me very,very hard,I mean,how could you expect someone lives in touchable fear all his life can make a piece of art like this?This movie,rarely,portrays Chinese social environment right on points and humor comes out of it very smoothly,you started feel a part of this movie at the beginning,and that explains why every single time the funny plot surfaces,nothing could stop you from uncontrolled laugh,of course you'll laugh,you know the characters,it's your father,your brother and the chick you saw in the movie theater,when things happen to people you feel familiar with,your emotion react much stronger than you think.
The story lines,too,are one of the best I've seen in years,plots are puzzled but totally make sense to you,whenever lines crashes with each other,you know you are gonna laugh.
I give this movie 10 points for the surprise it gives me,the thoughts expressed in the movie,and the respect to normal Chinese people the director showed.
That's why the first time I saw this movie,confusion stroke me very,very hard,I mean,how could you expect someone lives in touchable fear all his life can make a piece of art like this?This movie,rarely,portrays Chinese social environment right on points and humor comes out of it very smoothly,you started feel a part of this movie at the beginning,and that explains why every single time the funny plot surfaces,nothing could stop you from uncontrolled laugh,of course you'll laugh,you know the characters,it's your father,your brother and the chick you saw in the movie theater,when things happen to people you feel familiar with,your emotion react much stronger than you think.
The story lines,too,are one of the best I've seen in years,plots are puzzled but totally make sense to you,whenever lines crashes with each other,you know you are gonna laugh.
I give this movie 10 points for the surprise it gives me,the thoughts expressed in the movie,and the respect to normal Chinese people the director showed.
Good story and good actors.
wanghav2 September 2006
Actually, I don't like too many China movies, their story is pale, although I am a Chinese. But The "Crazy stone" is excepted, it's really a good story. We could see rare movies which story and presentation like Crazy Stone in China, so we can say it become a milestone for china movie (no including HongKong and Taiwan, you know what i mean). Splendid story and wonderful actors performance, making this film more special. Also, you can learn something true about China daily life, so it doesn't just make us happy, but some blue and black deep inside. We can see the shadow of "Pulp Fiction" in this movie, I just guess the director HaoNing is the fan of Quentin Tarantino, who knows, but we see his shadow indeed. And this never happened in any other China mainland movie, although HongKong movie is the teacher of Quentin Tarantino. In a word, I favor this movie for its good creativity and good cut.
Just a outstanding imitator of Guy Ritchie
akgs22 August 2006
From plot to transition, from angle of lens to rhythmic montage, from editing to tone, from contrast to freeze frame..., you can get the impression involving Guy Ritchie, who may be referred as the Godfather of Film Noir. This story starts with a priceless emerald, a squad of slack guards and two gangs of thieves, one of which is amateur, while the other is professional judging from the looking. It is not difficult to speculate what would happen from this kind of stereotyped beginning. We can't tell which part is the imitation and which is the original. It's a concise and smart comedy, somehow, whose genre is quite different from traditional dramas we can watch at the Chinese cinema. Anyway, for the director, we can say, it's almost an perfect homework. It would make somebody laugh, but it is difficult to have the audience impressed as a milestone movie.
Great movie, but maybe not for everyone
ritavia18 October 2022
I don't think a lot of people can understand this type of film because it does require a good understanding of the language and culture of the region to get to the core of it, to be amused by the story, to appreciate the pictures and the music. In this film It not only requires you to know Mandarin, but also requires you to have a certain understanding of the southern dialect and northern dialect, so that you can fully feel the humor set in it. And you have to be someone who has experienced social changes in the 1990s, otherwise there are a lot of interesting things that you can't understand. You have to see the world at least from an Asian POV, or you won't be able to understand the irony. Etc., etc. It was like the first time I saw a French comedy film and had absolutely no idea what everyone was talking about.
Why this great movie was neglected by popular culture?
chengran-1140212 April 2019
No joking, this is still the top movie in China, even up to 2019. But few of international sights are lying on this ugly stone. Why? is this the cultural difference or the international industry has neglected those underdeveloped culture long enough to the date that we all one day think there's only one movie maker, Hollywood, that's sad.
When there's only Vikings and Cross Army culture in the world, it's sad enough. Just like there's only human in this planet.
When there's only Vikings and Cross Army culture in the world, it's sad enough. Just like there's only human in this planet.
One of the best Chinese movies in Chinese movie history
ivan_hugo16820 August 2006
If you really like to watch Chinese movie, if you really want to know what exactly the best Chinese movie should be, please don't watch 'Shi mian mai fu' (House of Flying Daggers), 'Ying Xiong' (Hero), or 'Wu Ji' (The Promise), but do not miss this movie: 'Crazy Stone' which would tell you that Chinese movie industry still have hope, and the new generation start direct their own movie, which is totally different as previous generation ( zhang yimou, chen kaiguo) in china.
Givingyourself ten minutes watching this movie, after that, you will find that you are watching a movie which is very similar to the British movie 'Snatch', the director Lin Hao using the same way, Guy Ritchie used in 'Snatch' and 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels', but the movie reflects the true living situation about plebeian in china. This movie fills with black humor, admirable scenario, and dialect (CHONG QING, CHENG DU, GUANG DONG, and QING DAO). Now it is the hottest movie in china this summer.
Givingyourself ten minutes watching this movie, after that, you will find that you are watching a movie which is very similar to the British movie 'Snatch', the director Lin Hao using the same way, Guy Ritchie used in 'Snatch' and 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels', but the movie reflects the true living situation about plebeian in china. This movie fills with black humor, admirable scenario, and dialect (CHONG QING, CHENG DU, GUANG DONG, and QING DAO). Now it is the hottest movie in china this summer.
So funny
w-7147426 April 2020
The film is full of Chongqing dialects throughout the film. The dialects are spoken very authentically, which makes them very funny.
The stories inside are linked one by one, and when you read it, you can't help but praise. It's too coincidental.
The Baotou played by Guo Tao is very interesting, with joy and worries of small people, and insists on justice in his heart. Protecting the jadeite was because he felt that he had served as a policeman. It was also to keep the factory from closing down and wanted to make money to pay back the debt.
Among them, he has a lot of competition with a series of thieves. He handled the complacent, entangled and irritable emotions as a security guard against thieves particularly well.
Another interesting point of the film is the comparison of a group's attachment to jadeite and the misjudgment of true and false jadeite. It really confirms a sentence: the value of a thing depends on its location. So false is true, true and false, depending on your attitude towards it.
The stories inside are linked one by one, and when you read it, you can't help but praise. It's too coincidental.
The Baotou played by Guo Tao is very interesting, with joy and worries of small people, and insists on justice in his heart. Protecting the jadeite was because he felt that he had served as a policeman. It was also to keep the factory from closing down and wanted to make money to pay back the debt.
Among them, he has a lot of competition with a series of thieves. He handled the complacent, entangled and irritable emotions as a security guard against thieves particularly well.
Another interesting point of the film is the comparison of a group's attachment to jadeite and the misjudgment of true and false jadeite. It really confirms a sentence: the value of a thing depends on its location. So false is true, true and false, depending on your attitude towards it.
Review
keonbarlow29 February 2024
Review. Not to mention, this film can really withstand the test, and it's not something that can be summarized simply by imitating Garridge or multi storytelling. In particular, the characters in several groups are not only functional entities that create laughter points as structural stories, but almost every character portrayed has a clear and distinct personality that closely follows the main storyline with prominent laughter. They are also close to life and reflect reality, which is rare. In this regard, stones are actually better than firearms. The most valuable thing is not treating the audience like fools. Domestic movies all point to shooting like this, okay.
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