For those familiar with Zhang Yimou's 2002 hit Hero, Not One Less may give you cause for pause. It's not a martial arts epic, it doesn't tout big name stars, it lacks sex appeal, and perhaps most importantly to Americans: Quentin Tarentino is not presenting it to you with his blessings. The film is a striking portrayal of rural life in China. Memorable for it's documentary-like manner and endearing nature, Not One Less is a must-see.
Zhang Yimou's decision to create this film in the style of a documentary was a good one as it enhances the realism he is trying to achieve. Yimou attacks his objective of attaining pseudorealism in a variety ways. Few of those portraying characters in the film would be considered actors; they are simply people behaving in the same manner as they always do. The restraunt owner is a restraunt owner, the TV station manager is station manager, and so on. At the end of the film the credits roll, revealing that almost all of the characters bear the name of the person who plays them; the province from which the actors come from is also included, adding to the feeling of realism that begins to sink in after you finish watching. Yimou's mise-en-scene, or lack there of, also leaves a strong impression. The movie is shot in real locales without interupting the day-to-day life of those flowing in and around the camera's view. It emphasizes that life's not about beautiful people in beautiful places doing beautiful things.
And perhaps it's this epiphany that makes the film so endearing. The school children's incredibly cute performances give the film a warm feeling. Once Zhang Huike is gone and Teacher Wei begins to bond with her students, they behave charmingly well: working together to solve math problems, share coke, sneak Teacher Wei onto the bus, and at the end take turns writing on the board with the new chalk. Children in Hollywood often act with a sweetness that is oversatured, but those in Not One Less lacked polish, and that's what makes them even sweeter. Teacher Wei is another endearing person in the film. Her rosy cheeks and stubborn determination win the audiences hearts. When she finally makes her way onto TV, each silence is painful and you pray for her to speak. Her performance (and I hesitate to use the word) is spectacular and truly memorable.
Not One Less is a film with the unique ability to both warm the heart with charm and also leave a lasting impression by presenting the stark conditions of rural China. It's evidence that not all Chinese movies involve kung-fu, and that's not a bad thing.
1 comment:
Really good comments on this film. Yes, this film is at the other end of the spectrum when compared to "Hero," but it is outstanding in its own terms. I agree with you about Wei. Some viewers have described her as selfish and stubborn, but that is a 13-year old Wei at the beginning of the film. Later in the film she changes as she learns to care for her students. I algo agree with you about how Wei and her students are very easy to like, without a heavy-handed acting in the way. You are also right about being careful saying mise-en-scene, or performance, since the film seems more like a documentary.
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