While I found it worth the time watching this documentary, I agree with Gordon-11's criticism. An additional, if minor, shortcoming is the choice of country music as background music in a documentary with this theme and setting.
2 Reviews
Disappointing
Gordon-1128 September 2016
This documentary film tells the story of a gay man and a lesbian woman in China, who have to find a partner of the opposite sex for sham marriages, so that a traditional family can be formed for the sake of the relatives.
The documentary could have been really good, but my friends and I find it very superficial. First, there is little explanation as to why these two people have to arrange sham marriages, which does not set the scene for foreign viewers. Then, there are only two people who are interviewed, which is hardly representative of the "Chinese Closet". Indeed, as the parents and relatives of Cherry consented to be filmed, they are hardly in the closet. They are already the more open minded bunch.
Another thing that bugs me is that there's little revelation of how Cherry and Andy feels about the whole thing. The documentary focuses on their process of finding a partner and finding suitable options for having children, but it doesn't offer insight into how they feel about it. The film offers no related statistics, and no broad overview of the closet experience in China. The effect of the one child policy causing paramount importance of producing an heir is not explored either.
In summary, I think it lacks both breadth and depth in the coverage of sham marriages. It offers no new information and no unique insight. I am unfortunately disappointed by it.
The documentary could have been really good, but my friends and I find it very superficial. First, there is little explanation as to why these two people have to arrange sham marriages, which does not set the scene for foreign viewers. Then, there are only two people who are interviewed, which is hardly representative of the "Chinese Closet". Indeed, as the parents and relatives of Cherry consented to be filmed, they are hardly in the closet. They are already the more open minded bunch.
Another thing that bugs me is that there's little revelation of how Cherry and Andy feels about the whole thing. The documentary focuses on their process of finding a partner and finding suitable options for having children, but it doesn't offer insight into how they feel about it. The film offers no related statistics, and no broad overview of the closet experience in China. The effect of the one child policy causing paramount importance of producing an heir is not explored either.
In summary, I think it lacks both breadth and depth in the coverage of sham marriages. It offers no new information and no unique insight. I am unfortunately disappointed by it.
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