I made it to the Landmark Theatre today to see this film, and thoroughly enjoyed it. How does one hold on to one's sense of humanity during a war when the enemy is from within and without? This seems to be the question that faces a complex host of characters. George Hoag played by the handsome Jonathon Rhys Meyers (from HBOs, The Tudors), is a rather naive journalist who sets out to tell the story of the Japanese invasion of China, but finds himself caught in the middle of the revolution. He has to make a choice between chasing the war story, and caring for a group of young boys who are the causalities of war. He chooses the later which is where he finds the real story.
The film takes you on a journey of the ups and downs of the human spirit, caring, not caring, wanting to care, not wanting to care about life. How does one find the strength to overcome pain and suffering in the midst of pain and suffering? Well, the film shows how we draw strength from each other and how truly connected we are…none of us are really foreign to each other.
I highly recommend viewing this film as an ideal way to conclude our 36-hour seminar on East Asia.
Valerie
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