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Brief History of a Family

Play trailer Poster for Brief History of a Family 2024 1h 39m Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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93% Tomatometer 29 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Ratings
After the one-child policy ends in China, a middle-class family's fate becomes intertwined with their only son's enigmatic new friend. Unspoken secrets, unmet expectations and untended emotions are put under the microscope.

Critics Reviews

View All (29) Critics Reviews
Alexandra Heller-Nicholas AWFJ.org It might not have the climactic whistles and bells of Parasite or Saltburn, but in this instance anything else would feel almost dishonest; this is a careful, considered film of enormous intelligence and emotional resonance Jun 18, 2024 Full Review Sheri Linden The Hollywood Reporter With its intriguing performances, narrative restraint and unanswered questions, the movie delivers a strong pull of yearning as well as tantalizing currents of suspicion and dread. Feb 22, 2024 Full Review Chuck Bowen Slant Magazine The film’s pregnant foreshadowing is revealed to be misdirection, the promise of a thriller offered as candy to lure us into a consideration of the tensions that can cast a pall over family life. Rated: 3/4 Jan 29, 2024 Full Review Panos Kotzathanasis Asian Movie Pulse “Brief History of a Family” is a masterful film, both cinematically and contextually, and a truly impressive debut from a filmmaker who seems to have the abilities of a seasoned veteran. Rated: 7.5 Jul 28, 2024 Full Review Daniel Allen Loud and Clear Reviews Jianjie Lin’s debut Brief History of a Family is an astonishing film dealing with the remnants of China’s one-child policy – and the expectations placed by parents. Rated: 4.5/5 Jul 25, 2024 Full Review Michael Sicinski In Review Online By the time Brief History drifts toward its strangely inconclusive finale, you might find yourself wishing that this particular history had been even briefer. Jul 24, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

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Movie Info

Synopsis After the one-child policy ends in China, a middle-class family's fate becomes intertwined with their only son's enigmatic new friend. Unspoken secrets, unmet expectations and untended emotions are put under the microscope.
Director
Jianjie Lin
Producer
Ying Lou, Zheng Yue, Yiwen Wang
Screenwriter
Jianjie Lin
Production Co
First Light Pictures (Chengdu)
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
Chinese
Runtime
1h 39m