Let's be realistic.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

A beautiful movie, "Coming Home" tells the story of a Chinese family broken apart because the Cultural Revolution and politics, a family that will try to still be a family through really difficult times. Shot with simplicity and a clear focus by Yimou Zhang, the movie comes alive thanks to the amazing performances of the three principal characters, played by Li Gong, Daoming Chen and Huiwen Zhang. It is Li Gong, though, who stands head and shoulders above everything around her, with a performance that will most the viewer's eyes and so alive that it will remain with them long after the credits roll.The story, as said above, centers around a Chinese family. The father, Lu Yanshi, is imprisoned by the system during the Cultural Revolution. Feng Wanyu, his wife and Dan Dan, the daughter, stay back home, trying to survive the difficult times, especially as their lives have been marked by their relationship to Lu Yanshi. When Lu Yanshi gets released, he finds a family very different from the one he left.And here is where Go Ling comes to shine. Her character, Feng Wanyu, lives too much trough her husband (one of those abnegated characters that seem to be born to serve and worry about others), but Go Ling just inhabits the character with so much mastery that you won't be able to take your eyes of the screen. Every gesture, sentence, look, every movement of the hand is a piece of work, the creation of a memorable character.This is a movie that lives and dies through its performances. Luckily for us, they save us from a movie that could have been pure cheese and delivers us a vibrant look to life, privilege and loss.

"Coming Home" (2014 release from China; 110 min.) brings the story of Lu, a "rightist bastard" during the Cultural Revolution. As the movie opens, we see a woman (Feng) and her daughter (Dandan) being called into the Propaganda Office of the girl's school, where they learn that Lu (the husband and father, respectively) has escaped from labor camp, and that they are not to see him. Feng and Lu nevertheless decide to meet up at the train station, where Lu gets captured again. We are then told "Three years later, the Cultural Revolution ends", and Lu arrives back home. Much to his shock, Feng does not recognize him. What caused Feng's amnesia? Will she ultimately recognize him? To tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.Couple of comments: this is the latest movie from director Zhang Yimou (best known here for "House of the Flying Daggers"), Here he tackles a potentially sensitive topic in China, namely the horrible Cultural Revolution. But don't think that this is a political movie. Instead, it is a love story that happens to be set during and after the Cultural Revolution. Feng is played by the leading Chinese actress Gong Li (think of her as the Meryl Streep of China), and plays the role with restraint and visible hurt. Special mention also for the beautiful Zhang Huiwen in the role of Dandan (check out the ballet performances!). Last but not least, I couldn't help but notice that the piano you hear in the orchestral score is played by none other than Lang Lang. Bottom line: "Coming Home" is a slow-moving (in the best possible way) movie that examines the long shadows of the Cultural Revolution through the eyes of one particular couple.This movie is now a year and a half, yet it recently showed up out of the blue at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati. Better late than never I suppose. The weekday evening screening where I saw this at was attended poorly. A shame. If you are in the mood for a top-notch quality foreign movie that is light years away from your standard Hollywood fare, you may want to give this a try. "Coming Home" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

"Coming Home" may not be deep in plot; but, the emotions are sincere and very touching. In it's nature, amnesia is tragic and any story that involves it will most probably evoke sadness, despair, and empathy not just towards the character who has it but also the people around him/her. The movie did this very well. Characters and scenes are well-developed.One thing that makes the story compelling is the background layer of the Cultural Revolution. It put the three main characters in difficult situations and distant relationship. It caused a girl, who grew up without a father by her side, to betray her very own father. It caused a woman to live a different life- a life without the man who she loves so much. It made her break "rules". And, it caused a man, who longed to see his family after a very long time, to escape a strict and unfair "authority".It's a story about forgiveness. It's about hope. It's about the struggle of accepting the things you don't want to happen. It's a heartfelt relatable family drama that draws emotions from difficult deep experiences in life.Gong Li's performance is exceptional. Actors playing the other two main characters are great as well. It's a well-edited film with just the right pace.

I would say the royalty in China is alway considered very important especially for a woman in the past. In that age the Outbreak described, people deprived their emotions to others even their lovers for their safety. When Yanshi came back home and found the reality his wife Wanyu Feng had no memory to him, he was not desperate. He tried all kinds of methods to help Wanyu recover until he accepted the fact Wanyu couldn't recover forever. He always felt happy only if he stayed with his wife. In their eyes, I had no feeling about hatred but cherishing. I extremely appreciate the Wanyu's insistence for her husband Yanshi. I think this film shows the Chinese woman's attitude to love.