It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

This is a small thing, but ripe, all about learning to naturally go out among life. This is is first in the story. A wife demands to know why her husband was kicked "where it hurts" by a local official. Why did he do it? She ventures out in the village, then down in the city in search of answers. The tip of the thread that humorously guides us through different faces so that altogether we get a snapshot of Chinese life.A constable arbites and gives his verdict, which seems perfectly reasonable, the accused will cover medical expenses and both parties are made aware that they were both wrong. But the wife is not pleased, she wants a more significant justice, and will go through the state apparatus looking for it. This has led some viewers to think that we're meant to be seeing an individual being caught in the gears of an absurd and uncaring bureaucracy; that seems to be a handy interpretation we have in the West ever since Kafka. But that's not the point being made here.Party officials, whenever encountered, are always benevolent and trying to be fair, quietly exasperated by the antics of the people in their charge. A higherup is kind enough to drive her back to the hotel on his car, another one stoically returns someone's stray animal. You can see why this among Zhang's early work was not banned over there.But every new verdict from higher offices remains the same however, which is to say, the world is just so, maybe not ideal. Why make a fuss about why we do things, why stand so rigidly? There's no deeper reason sometimes and we're better off mending ourselves by moving forward, going along unconstrained by "right" and "wrong". This is often hard to translate to someone in the West because we have made ourselves stupid by arguing from principle instead of seeing what the specific thing in front of us calls for now.And the notion of contrived uncontrivance extends in everything else. Zhang is aiming for a snapshot of life whereby we just mingle with things, what they used to call "neorealism" back in the day. The view it ventures to offer will be precious, a heartland generally closed to us.More pertinently for me, it evokes a view of life, a warmth and sense of community I like. Lovingly obstinate in trying to fathom its tempests, pettiness without malice, quiet perseverance in simple things. Zhang lets all of this envelop in a natural way, as impulse that climbs up through the soles of the feet.Gong Li is perfectly in tune with this, sublime in erasing any trace of an actor's face behind the shawl, making herself like a stump of uncontrived urges. We're meant to see that though a kind person, she's also a little dull in her fixation to an apology. And look how naturally she comes forth from her body, then watch her as the nervous empress in Golden Flower. What a range in which she moves freely.

Another fine performance by Gong Li in a story that takes too long to reach its disconcerting conclusion. (SPOILER) Her character's determined struggle to seek a just settlement for the local Communist party official's assault on her husband is impressive. She is not deterred by physical hardship, swindlers, party bureaucrats, or the arrogance of the party official himself.(SPOILER) The plot twist that occurs at the birth of her baby almost redeems the slow pace of the film up to that point of the story, but not quite.The location shots (in the cities and rural areas) enhance the story but not quite enough for this reviewer. Not a waste of time for those with enough patience to wait for the story to reach its conclusion, but not as good as many other of Gong Li's & Yimou Zhang's work.

The story is of a poor, uneducated yet stubborn farmwoman seeking justice from a highly bureaucratic government (for a seemingly minor injustice), and the nightmarish journey she must endure to achieve it. Her numerous trips to the city and meetings with various officials result in a surprise ending. The operative lesson from this movie: Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.Having visited the Chinese country outside Tianjin and Beijing in 1999, this movie is the most realistic I have ever seen. This film serves as a geniune window into what everyday life is like in rural and urban China. The humorous scene of the shy young couple applying for the marraige license seems almost too real, as if they had a Candid Camera on them. I am most curious how the makers of this film were able to plop one of the most famous (and most beautiful) stars of mainland China in the middle of the many on-location scenes and not have anyone recognize her?? (Although in a couple of scenes it looks like people might have). Doubtless her unflattering costume emphasizing her pregnancy helped disguise her for most of the movie. Also note the distant camera shots, which enables the camera to be hidden and inconspicuous and also not draw attention to Gong Li. Either that or the makers must have used the most extras ever hired for a movie. I would like to find out more about the methods used to make this film. In any case, the results are another delightful and glorious piece from Zhang Yimou.

In a word...simple. All the plot is about is a wife whose husband got kicked in the d*** by some chief or governor (I didn't pay attention to> their ranks). Despite this, the movie is still great, Gong Li isn't as beautiful as usual (that jacket makes her look like a marshmellow), but she gives her usual beautiful performance. 9/10.