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      The Story of Qiu Ju

      PG Released Apr 16, 1993 1h 40m Drama List
      87% 23 Reviews Tomatometer 85% 2,500+ Ratings Audience Score In a small town in China, village elder Wang (Lei Laosheng) ends an argument with the peasant Qinglai (Liu Peiqi) by kicking him. Incensed, Qinglai's indomitable and heavily pregnant wife, Qiu Ju (Gong Li), demands an apology from the village chief. When she doesn't get one, Qiu Ju embarks doggedly on a quixotic search for justice, taking her case to higher and higher levels of government and encountering maddening levels of bureaucracy in the process. Read More Read Less

      Critics Reviews

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      Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader The film’s integrity is chiefly a matter of countless small but uncommon observations... Rated: 4/4 Jun 2, 2022 Full Review Deborah Young Variety This simple, repetetive tale has a mesmerizing quality able to hook audiences from beginning to end. Mar 26, 2009 Full Review Empire Magazine Rated: 3/5 Dec 30, 2006 Full Review Jonathan D. Spence The New York Review of Books This is the first film I have seen from China that has at once such documentary verisimilitude, such comic inventiveness, and such reflective strength. Aug 14, 2018 Full Review Malcolm Johnson Hartford Courant For its glimpses into the quotidian realities of the huge, emerging superpower, this story proves worth watching, despite its obliqueness, its repetitiousness and the slowness of its perpetual voyages to the city and back again. May 29, 2018 Full Review Pablo Villaça Cinema em Cena Utilizando a montagem de forma precisa para estabelecer o ritmo da vida de seus personagens, Yimou narra uma história bem-humorada e reveladora sobre a China contemporânea, sendo auxiliando por Gong Li em um de seus melhores desempenhos. Rated: 5/5 Mar 29, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

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      Amruth P It's very amazing feel good movie, one of my most favorite movie in all time. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/23/22 Full Review william d Great story, wonderfully filmed, and Gong Li is brilliant. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Brilliant story, reminded me of some of the great Russian authors who gave us a glimpse into the hearts of peasants and how close-knit the communities are (and have to be). Zhang Yimou's execution was almost perfect--from the first scene he forces the audience to piece together the events, never patronizing us. Its documentary-like shots of everyday Chinese folk combines the realism of Chekhov with the comic absurdity of Gogol. Gong Li's energy was magnetic. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Audience Member This is a small movie set in present day China (1993). This film is well made by noted Chinese director Yimou Zhang. The story concerns a search for justice. Our heroine, Qiu Ju (Gong Li), is a peasant woman living in a small rural village. There are injuries arising from a fight between her husband and the village chief. Her husband is kicked and beaten by the village chief. He is kicked in the groin and so cannot work or even walk for a period of time. Qiu Ju goes to seek redress of the illegal attack her husband suffered. She is not satisfied with the solutions various government functionaries propose. She persists in escalating her appeals to hier and hier government entities. The various government reps are shown to be trying to do their jobs in a competent manner. There is an ages-old tradition in China of the people appealing their grievances to the Emperor or central government. Some Chinese still try to make these appeals in present day China. Much of the appeal of this movie is in the depiction of day-to-day life in a Chinese village. We see brick beds heated by small fireplaces built into their foundations. We see people still traveling by bicycle, two wheel cart, motorized three wheel scooters, by bus, and small private truck. Our heroine is apparently, and repeatedly, given free rides by her fellow countrymen. There is some discussion of the sophisticated city dwellers in contrast to their poorer country cousins. And, there are many other similar depictions. The Wiki write-up states that hidden cameras were used to shoot street scenes for the film. The social contract in China, like much of the East or Asia, is shown as concerned with the close relationship of the individual to his neighbors and village. We can view this in contrast with the American value of rugged individualism. There is a sense of community in small town America. But, the sense of community in Asia is much stronger. This strong sense of community extends into the cities. There, it is manifest in the work place or the apartment complex. In this movie, when Qiu Ju gets into trouble, the entire village leaps to the rescue. She is carried, by hand, for emergency medical assistance over long distances by a group of village men. I suspect it might take a bit of doing to assemble a similar volunteer rescue group on the neighborhood level in the USA. And, yes, I am aware of publicized rescues after natural disasters in the USA. Gong Li is the only actor of note. Her considerable beauty is disguised under heavy winter peasant clothing thru out this movie. We only get a little glimpse of her at the very end of the film. This was one of her earliest movies. The story is mildly interesting. I can recommend the movie for its depiction of daily village life in rural China. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Audience Member Really nice movie, so well made Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member I love revenge and/or justice movies, and this movie is hilarious and good and makes me smile. The ending is the best. Some very, VERY good acting. Rent it, for the love of God! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      The Story of Qiu Ju

      The Story of Qiu Ju (1992) The Story of Qiu Ju (1992) The Story of Qiu Ju (1992) The Story of Qiu Ju (1992) View more photos

      Movie Info

      Synopsis In a small town in China, village elder Wang (Lei Laosheng) ends an argument with the peasant Qinglai (Liu Peiqi) by kicking him. Incensed, Qinglai's indomitable and heavily pregnant wife, Qiu Ju (Gong Li), demands an apology from the village chief. When she doesn't get one, Qiu Ju embarks doggedly on a quixotic search for justice, taking her case to higher and higher levels of government and encountering maddening levels of bureaucracy in the process.
      Director
      Yimou Zhang
      Rating
      PG
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      Chinese
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Apr 16, 1993, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Nov 6, 2012
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $25.8K
      Runtime
      1h 40m
      Sound Mix
      Stereo, Surround