Music, photography, acting, direction and story all combine in this simple yet sumptuous tale of the love of a young woman for the teacher who comes to her village. The film bookends with a funeral, a son returning from the city to bury his father. His parents' courtship is then relayed in flashback, stark black, white and steel grey blasted landscapes giving way to rich hues of brown, red and yellow. The flashback structure tells you there is no tension or dread for the couple; they are fated to be together. It is the lyrical coming together of these two souls in a sun-drenched luscious pastoral scene, a tender soundtrack occasionally commenting on proceedings. The subtitles are fine but I suspect there is poetry in the original Chinese. Zhang Ziyi simply melts your heart the moment she smiles. A quiet, unassuming, rewarding film.
Review of The Road Home
