A glimpse at the lives of two petty criminals in Taipei.
The IMDb staff came together to round up their favorite crime movies, shows, and documentaries.
From the iconic to the eclectic, relive the most memorable moments from the Oscars red carpet.
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Goodbye, South, Goodbye (1996)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
2 wins & 2 nominations.
See more awards »
Edit
Cast
| Credited cast: | |||
| Jieh-Wen King | ... | Hsi (as Hsiang Hsi) | |
| Kuei-Ying Hsu | ... | Ying | |
| Annie Shizuka Inoh | ... | Pretzel | |
| Jack Kao | ... | Kao | |
| Ming Kao | ... | Ming | |
 |
Wu Lei | ... | Kao's Father |
|
|
Pi-tung Lien | ... | Tung |
| Giong Lim | ... | Flatty | |
| Vicky Wei | ... | Hui | |
|
|
Shih-huang Chen | ... | Flatty's uncle |
|
|
Kuei Li | ||
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
|
|
Ming Lei | ||
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
A glimpse at the lives of two petty criminals in Taipei.
Taglines:
Fast times, easy money, big trouble.Certificate:
See all certifications »Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
Edit
Goodbye South Goodbye presents a beautifully delineated portrait of a generation of Taiwanese cut off from their society's traditional values. Hou records a world stuck in short-lived businesses and scams in which the characters have no real shot at economic advancement. The characters are cold, rootless, and basically corrupt. No real communication is taking place here. It reminds me of "The Wind Will Carry Us" where the cell phone represents an intrusion of western technology in a village steeped in tradition.
This film portrays the contrast between the almost feudal tradition and its hierarchy with gangsterism and corrupt business practices. Somehow, Hou transcends this feeling of entrapment and aimlessness with long takes of lyrical beauty. For example, the green filter shown when the three are riding through a tunnel in Taipei, the three riding their motorcycles up a steep hill, a moment of grace and freedom.
The camera in this film does not judge. It simply records the unfolding of events. Hou simply discloses the character of complex relationships and situations. This film, like all of HHHs films that I've seen including his new "Millennium Mambo", is pulsating with rhythm, the rhythm of a train, the rhythm of punk music, the rhythm of life.