Suzhou River (2000)

Suzhou River is a fine slacker's opera, an examination of the lethargic heart stumbling into a story of bittersweet emotion that exposes the lie that we all love fairytales. Shot from the viewpoint of Rosaline as that strumpet Juliet steals her man it is the story of the soul that loses when destiny stomps through, and loses because it is emotionally deficient. It is a film that reflects the drowning of a dull ordinary Shanghainese individual when briefly touched by beautiful people, and as a result many anywhere will empathise.
There are only 4 main characters, two of which may or may not be the same person: the narrator and cameraman, never revealed but loitering as omnipotent, the faceless normality of society; the tragic lovers who exist as first fable then reality as motorcycle courier Mardar returns from the wilderness; and the narrator's girlfriend who bears a remarkable likeness to the girl Mardar lost and for whom he is searching. Such a simple set-up is paramount to the notion that Suzhou River is a story founded in emotions rather than action, the characters burning slowly around each other as time inches them closer to conflict, very much akin to the desperate world inhabited by the protagonists in Wong Kar-Wai's In the Mood For Love. A few devices are added to create the necessary parables to fairytales and their romanticised nature - most notably the mermaid concept - but at its core Suzhou River is an anti-panto with heroes replaced by locals. It is not, however, a morose watch; certainly all the characters are tinged with the sadness of fading dreams, but they also bring the humour and natural reactions of common souls. It is, in a manner, Mike Leigh in Shanghai filming Cinderella on a camcorder.
Perhaps it is not the greatest film of all time, nor that China has produced, but it raises authentic points about the juxtaposition of responses by heroic fictional princes and everyday people that leaves one contemplating how committed one's self is to love. It may remind the viewer that being human does not require gross passion or outlandish scenarios, just the acceptance and understanding of what is worthwhile as our lives plod along, occasionally into bizarre cul-de-sacs.
Finally: while Michael Winterbottom's Code 46 heralded its filming in Shanghai, the opening sequence of Suzhou River proves that Tim Robbin's hanging around the glitzy district of Pudong and the lobby of the Jin Mao Tower is merely a western financer's dream: it is down by the dirty river a hundred metres away that the jiao merchants underpin the cities pompous growth. Lou Ye's film is a fine reminder to European eyes that Zhang Yimou's seductive cinematography is not the grim reality of many an Asian life, and the excellent voyeurism extra is a fine insight into the oddities of trying to capture the blander everyday people who are 'Shanghai'.


Nothing lasts forever   September 1, 2006
duirsgrove
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I wasn't sure what this was at first and even after I thought I was getting an idea, my ideas then changed as the story or more accurately stories evolve with further characters or scenarios and background information thrown in. It's quite slow paced with lots of observing and reflection but there's no space for falling asleep as things are always moving along in background scenes, in newly informative flashbacks or by the narration. Simple becomes complicated, good and bad intertwine continually and sympathies change between the characters. Part love story, part suspense it ties in well with other Chinese modern cinema and is very reminicent of Wong Kar Wai movies with narration, tragedy and general love themes - more so than for me the Vertigo parallels. The main difference is that this is visually more realistic and actually features physical death. Timespan is somewhat suspended as it moves between time and person making it hard to get the full picture at once. Acting is natural, situations believable with a large element of fairytale, dreams, hope, love, tragedy, salvation and acceptance - all revolving around the river. More than a little confusing, and very heart wrenching - like Open your eyes, could probably do with a few viewings to figure it all out.