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Growing Up

Original title: Xiao Bi de gu shi
  • 1983
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
436
YOUR RATING
Growing Up (1983)
Drama

The story follows a young man as he changes from an intelligently aware youth, to a teenager with much less confidence than he once had, and finally, to a stable adult.The story follows a young man as he changes from an intelligently aware youth, to a teenager with much less confidence than he once had, and finally, to a stable adult.The story follows a young man as he changes from an intelligently aware youth, to a teenager with much less confidence than he once had, and finally, to a stable adult.

  • Director
    • Kun-Hou Chen
  • Writers
    • T'ien-wen Chu
    • Yah-Ming Ding
    • Hsiao-Hsien Hou
  • Stars
    • Chun-Fang Chang
    • Fu-Sheng Tsui
    • Doze Niu
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    436
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Kun-Hou Chen
    • Writers
      • T'ien-wen Chu
      • Yah-Ming Ding
      • Hsiao-Hsien Hou
    • Stars
      • Chun-Fang Chang
      • Fu-Sheng Tsui
      • Doze Niu
    • 1User review
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 2 nominations total

    Photos4

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    Top cast14

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    Chun-Fang Chang
    • Lin Hsiu-Ying
    • (as Chu-Fong Cheng)
    Fu-Sheng Tsui
    Fu-Sheng Tsui
    • Pi Da-shun
    Doze Niu
    Doze Niu
    • Shiao Pi (teen)
    Chuan-Wen Cheng
    • Shiao Pi (childhood)
    Hsi Chang
    Pao-Shan Chang
    Pao-Shan Chang
    • Sweet Potato's father
    Ping-Yu Chang
    Ping-Yu Chang
    • Mrs Zhu
    King Kong Lee
    King Kong Lee
      Ti Lu
      Ti Lu
      Peng Sun
      Peng Sun
      Chung-Hua Tou
      Chung-Hua Tou
      • Shiao Bi (adult)
      • (as Tsung-Hua Tuo)
      Chien Tsao
      • Mr. Zhu
      Cheng-Kuo Yen
      Cheng-Kuo Yen
      • Shiao Pi's younger brother
      Li-Shuo Yu
      • Hsiao Yun
      • (as Lai-Shuo Yu)
      • Director
        • Kun-Hou Chen
      • Writers
        • T'ien-wen Chu
        • Yah-Ming Ding
        • Hsiao-Hsien Hou
      • All cast & crew
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

      User reviews1

      7.3436
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      Featured reviews

      9gmwhite

      Subtle 'New Wave' classic

      'Growing Up', coming out of the context of the Taiwanese 'New Wave', was directed by Chen Kunhou (also spelled Chen Gwen-Ho), and was written by Hou Hsiao Hsien. This alone makes it worth tracking down for students or fans of Taiwanese film, and it does repay viewing, though in a typically Taiwanese understated manner, in which there is more going on under the surface than is immediately apparent.

      The story focuses upon a boy called Xiao Bin, or Young Bin. The Chinese title of the film is indeed 'The Story of Xiao Bin', which casts light upon the beginning of the story, for the child, an illegitimate son, was initially Xiao Lin. He only became Xiao Lin when his mother entered a marriage of convenience with a mainlander who was much older than her, and all alone in Taiwan. Without overstating or overdetermining motives or reasoning, his life with his mother and new father is followed as he progresses through primary and high school. Along the way, there is the addition of younger brothers, truancy and assorted adolescent problems, young romance, and family problems. Continuity during gaps in the story is preserved by a woman narrator, who had appeared then as his classmate and neighbour.

      Beneath this rather simple story there lie a number of questions regarding the psychology of the characters and the intricacies of their relationships. Occasional outbursts of anger, frustration and violence provide more obvious signposts into such motivations, but as in life itself, even oneself is often not entirely aware of the reasons for much of one's own actions. The audience is left to tease much of this out, and cast back onto their own insights into humanity. This vagueness may have been frustrating had the characters been flat and unconvincing, but they felt so entirely authentic that one could say that they were either superbly acted, or that they were not acted at all, that they were indeed who they were, without the involvement of artistry.

      Coming out of the context of the Taiwanese New Wave, this film is located in a specific place and time, touching upon issues pertinent to the context, for instance, the relationship between Mainlanders and Native Taiwanese, as encapsulated by the marriage of convenience. American music is also present, though not to the same extent as in 'A Brighter Summer's Day', by Edward Yang. But like the motivations and attitudes of the characters themselves, these are present as nuances and subsurface details rather than as topics for didactic exposition.

      Wonderfully understated, superbly acted and a pristine example of directorial restraint, I would not hesitate to recommend this work to anyone interested in Taiwanese film, and even to those who are unfamiliar with it. The involvement of Hou Hsiao Hsien makes it of immediate interest to his legion of fans. On the other hand, it would be quite accessible to those viewers unfamiliar with the details of Taiwanese history and merely looking for a human-interest story. It is entertaining, often humorous, and moving. In sum, 'Growing Up' is well worth seeing.

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      Storyline

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      • Connections
        Featured in Guang yin de gu shi: Tai wan xin dian ying (2014)

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      Details

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      • Release date
        • December 1983 (United States)
      • Country of origin
        • Taiwan
      • Languages
        • Mandarin
        • Min Nan
      • Also known as
        • The Story of Little Pi
      • Filming locations
        • Taiwan
      • Production company
        • Central Motion Pictures
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Tech specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        1 hour 40 minutes
      • Color
        • Color
      • Sound mix
        • Mono
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.85 : 1

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