The Road Home (1999)
Directed by Zhang Yimou
Prompted by the death of his father and the grief of his mother, a man recalls the story of how they met in flashback.
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What critics compared The Road Home to
How the same talented director (Zhang Yimou of "The Road Home" and "Raise the Red Lantern"), working with the same talented actress (lovely Zhang Ziyi of "The Road Home" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" ) could turn out one of the year's best movies and one its worst -- in the same genre no less -- is a complete mystery.
As the 53-year-old filmmaker moves into martial arts and swordplay (wuxia) films, with Hero and now House, he brings with him the grand themes and precise details that made his much-revered arthouse films so distinctive -- the gorgeous billowing of fabrics (Ju dou [1990]), the building effects of diurnal niceties (The Story of Qiu Ju/Qiu Ju da guan si [1992]), the gentle breezes alongside the incessant force of destiny (The Road Home/Wo de fu qin mu qin [1999]).
Among our favorites are the historical dramas, Raise the Red Lantern and Ju Dou, and the touching tales of peasants Not One Less and The Road Home.
Although there's nothing deep or intellectual about this, it's far more fun to watch than the dull dramas ("The Road Home," "Not One Less") that Zhang directed in the late 1990s.
Yimou went from a beautifully quiet character piece in 1999, " The Road Home " (starring Zhang Ziyi!) to the exciting flashes of genius in the currently running " Hero ."
These two Hong Kong action pics have given Zhang a reprieve, in his sullied postâGong Li period, after the last few sentimental neo-realism middle-brow works ("Not One Less"/"The Road Home") have put a sizable dent into his growing rep as an international artiste.