Message from bsmith

[Anonymous]

In the foreign language movie section at Blockbuster, I was intrigued by the title- Beijing Bicycle. Hoping to see lots of Beijing scenery and reminisce about our recent trip to that amazing city, I decided to check it out. This movie centers around the life of a country boy who has just moved to the big city. He is lucky enough to get a job as a bicycle messenger - a well paying job with the added benefit of being able to buy the bike he is using. It was fun to " ride along" as Guei weaves his way thru the conjested traffic in Beijing and the city's maze of alleyways -hutongs. They show some interesting neighborhoods and markets. The story changes when his bicycle is stolen and his job is in jeopardy. Tracking down the lost bicycle, leads Guei to a different part of town and forces him to fight with the boy who has his bike. The story contrasts the life of a schoolboy with rich friends (who act like a gang) with that of a struggling country boy -a kid who just wants to work and pay off the 600 yuans for the bike he loves. Sounds like a Disney movie- not exactly. There is gang violence, some swearing,one nude shot, but on the whole an O.K movie - not great. The movie has English subtitles and some are very amusing. At one point, Guei's boss says- you country folk are very determined, "A real little Engine that could!" With themes of duty, honesty, friendship and persistence, this movie could generate some good discussions. [Edit by="bsmith on May 1, 8:18:06 AM"][/Edit]