The Foliage

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Audience Member Feng Xiaogang's cinematographer Lu Yue directs this drama set during the end of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. A bold move by Lu, since the period is still concidered historically sensetive in China, as evident in Zhang Yimou's beautiful but politically tame Under The Hawthorne Tree from 2010. Lu makes the love story in The Foliage intimately connected to the confusing party politics of the times, and seemingly argues for a more open discussion about the cosequences of blindly following the party line, making an example of the tragically aborted love affair between Shu Qi's and Liu Ye's characters. Pacing is great, except for the last reel in which time suddenly flies by, culminating in a curiously rushed and weak ending, lacking both power of resolution and closure. Still a major work from Lu, though, with top performances and beautifully lush cinematography. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member saw it on an airplane in 2003, was really impressed by it, completely forgot the title and all other related names except for the male lead's. Took me four years to finally find it. Some may criticize Yue Lu's casting of a taiwanese actress, who doesn't even erase her accent, in a movie that is set in a part of china with a very distinct dialect. However, I have found that it gives the female character a different flavor and its what makes her so enticing compared to the other girls. The story is really interesting, especially the end, but some of the parts are slow and not completely clear. Really worth watching though, but just reminder, it's in Chinese. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Foliage

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