Good movie but grossly overrated

A Major Disappointment

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

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Eastern people are very strange. For my European mind. But my post-sovietic mind can understand the absurd of communism. People are going where the system sends them and think they are doing something very appreciable for others. Well, mostly things like it are useful for those in highest chairs.A little girl goes to the countryside to help people. She's so innocent and her plaits are a symbol for it. When she's sent to prairies to live with horses breeder Lao Jin for six months she's so shy and afraid he can do something bad to her. But he can't – long time ago his manhood has been sliced off.After the time she had to go back she's still with Lao in the fields. But she wants go home. And suddenly a man comes and says he can help her. And gives her an apple (symbolic, right?). The next time he comes he wants something from her. And his friends wants the same. They say that's the only one way to go home. Yeah, right...Lao Jin sees and understands everything, but Xiu doesn't want to hear anything from him. But when „surprisingly" she becomes pregnant Lao is only one who helps her. And in the end the only one who frees her. When she's back to her innocence and plaits.It's a sad story. And very eastern. Gee, this really could have happened! Stupid system and dickbrained men.

It is even different for me, a Chinese youngster, just to comment on this sort of works, let alone introducing this movie to the worldwide spectators. Actually this is hard to be understood by foreigners, who will definitely consider this movie as a tragedy. It is a tragedy, and it is much more than a tragedy. In fact, it is the most heartquaking works of this theme I have ever received. This sort or this theme I have referred to is the particular times that happened in China decades ago, not far from us. Actually it is the times my parents have experienced. That period of ten years was filled with tragedies. The story this movie has described is just a corner of iceberg. What the times have given me is totally from our fathers' words or the works like this movie, which may not be so effective. However, what the times have given China is profound. Thanks to the times, China has been in the right direction for a long time. This direction has led and will go on leading the nation to unlimited prosperity.

This is by favorite foreign subtitled movie. There are hints of Tarantino in this flick, especially in the ending. This film depicts life in China as a young girl. I especially like the part with the apples. If you can stand reading the dialog , then this is an excellent film. The characters are likable and real. Highly recommended.

This is a very powerful movie about a very important and real subject. It made its point very forcefully with the use of strong and explicit scenes that I'm afraid have been with me ever since I watched this movie and promise to appear in my mind day and night for quite some time. I hate to say that I wish I hadn't seen a well-made movie, but that is the case here. If you are very emotionally affected by movies like I am, I recommend that you pick up a good book about the history of sexual politics in China instead.