Posts
Chen Nian, a young, timid, high achieving girl does her best to deal with unyielding and relentless bullying from fellow high school students. Her mother lives in another city doing her best to earn a meager living for them. She is utterly alone. When a child at the school commits suicide, the police get involved and work to uncover the culture of intimidation and reveal the total ineptitude of teachers and administrators. One night as she walks home, Chen Nian rescues a young criminal, Bei, who offers to become her protector. These two develop an unyielding bond and together they focus on getting her through her national exam (a bit like the SATs) because if they can lift her from poverty, she promises to take him with her out of this difficult life.
For those of us who remember what being bullied feels like, this film is particularly painful. But this kind of bullying is beyond what most of us have experienced, and it is enraging. The added powerlessness this poor girl experiences because the lead bully is rich and her parents couldn't care less what she does to others, is also infuriating. Chen Nian, on a clear path to a better life, is confronted by so many obstacles beyond her incredible grit that the film's horror feels like destiny, even with an ally at her side willing to do anything to help her succeed.
This film hurts. And the pain is inescapable. But it is absolutely worthy of its Oscar nomination. I hope you'll watch it. If it inspires you to look at your past behavior as a child, or it gives you motivation to wonder how you can actually help as an adult, it will have done its job.
Watch the trailer here.
No comments:
Post a Comment