Arts and Culture

Chinese movie review : Not One Less

Director: Zhang Yimou

Cast: Wei Minzhi, Zhang Huike

Year: 1999; Running time: 1 hours 42 mins; Language: Mandarin with English subtitles; Country: China; Certificate: U

Synopsis

In a remote village in rural China, the only school teacher has to leave town to attend to his sick mother. The town mayor finds a 13 year old girl as a substitute for a month, to teach children barely younger than herself. The girl can only earn 60 yuan if there is not one less of the 28 children in school upon the teacher's return. Through struggling to keep all the children in school she learns compassion and dedication as well as earning the respect of her pupils.

Review

The 13 year old is a sulky and stubborn girl who just wants to earn the money that was promised to her for taking the job as a substitute teacher. She is given chalk to use, which was carefully counted out to her by Teacher Gao because the school is so poor that even the chalk is precious. After an accident and a fight with the most troublesome pupil (Zhang Huike) the box of chalk is crushed and covered with dust.

Slowly she fulfils her duty by attempting to prevent the town mayor from taking a pupil out of the school to be trained as an athlete. Later on when Huike was sent to work in the city by his sick mother she's determined to bring him back. As she plans logically how to get to the big city, with the help of her pupil, they learn from each other and gain each other's respect. In the search for Huike she encounters many unhelpful and cynical adults. In a world governed by rules and where only money can be heard, she never once wavers in her quest, never once loses patience or hope, until she reaches her goal.

Wei Minzhi's performance is charismatic and effective as a determined and stubborn substitute teacher. The children are brilliant as themselves. Putting aside the social deprivation of the children in China the film explores the childhood innocence where the world is uncomplicated and ungoverned by rules. This is a simple story which is why it is so effective.

Verdict

The whole cast are non-professional actors and the result is raw and believable. This movie will restore your faith in movie going and belief in earthly miracles. It is as non-formulaic and as un-Hollywood as it gets.

5 out of 5 You can also visit the film's official website here.

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