Together

Play trailer

Together

PG

2003

1h 58m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

73%

Tomatometer

77 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Liu Xiaochun (Tang Yun), a 13-year-old violin prodigy, and his devoted father, Liu Cheng (Liu Peiqi), leave their provincial Chinese town for Beijing, hoping to find a violin teacher and, ultimately, success. The teenager is at first coached by the eccentric professor Jiang (Wang Zhiwen), but he is soon replaced with the renowned professor Yu (Chen Kaige). The day of the big competition is fast approaching, and Xiaochun must decide if this new, high-pressure life is right for him.

Critics Consensus

Though melodramatic at times, Together is heartwarming and well-acted.

Read Critics Reviews

Neil Norman

London Evening Standard

It is best read as a paean to the power of music -- while it is playing, the film is at its most persuasive.

Jan 11, 2018

Full Review

Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

Never wavers from its serviceably warm and fuzzy path.

Rated: C+

Mar 19, 2006

Full Review

Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

The performances are all terrific, but Together never jells as a compelling narrative.

Rated: 2.5/5

Jun 29, 2003

Full Review

Philip Martin

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

...a small-scale movie set in modern Beijing that comes right up to the brink of mawkishness and is saved only by some residual inscrutability in the narrative.

Rated: B

Jan 29, 2005

Full Review

Robert Roten

Laramie Movie Scope

This film has wonderful music in it, and a pretty good story. The acting is solid and the cinematography is excellent.

Rated: B

Jan 18, 2004

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Reeks of sentimentality and mawkish characterizations.

Rated: C

Dec 30, 2003

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Member

The ending if this movie made me cry. The passion with wich he played the violin at the end was hearthbreaking. I was all teary, i loved it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

My Mom told me she enjoyed this movie on Netflix, I have to agree with her.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Chen Kaige continues to make simple moving stories on relationships and sacrifice. Rated four out of five tissue boxes.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Sentimental weepie the Chinese are so good at. Moving and humanistic reminiscent of Ozu.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Excellent old fashioned movie with plot, characters, beginning, middle and end. Gee, maybe the younger filmmakers can learn a thing or two about how to tell a story.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A film like this can be forgiven for its melodramatic staging and mostly predictable plot. Its intent is to pluck at heart strings and it does that quite well. Moreover, it provokes an interesting examination of old vs. new China without passing simplistic, draconian judgment on either.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Chen Kaige

Director

Tang Yun

Liu Xiaochun

Liu Peiqi

Liu Cheng

Chen Hong

Lili

Wang Zhi Wen

Prof. Jiang

Chen Kaige

Prof. Yu Shifeng

Kart Racer

40%

61%

Kart Racer

Watchlist

Head Over Heels

90%

86%

Head Over Heels

Watchlist

Race to Space

71%

40%

Race to Space

Watchlist

Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles

80%

81%

Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Liu Xiaochun (Tang Yun), a 13-year-old violin prodigy, and his devoted father, Liu Cheng (Liu Peiqi), leave their provincial Chinese town for Beijing, hoping to find a violin teacher and, ultimately, success. The teenager is at first coached by the eccentric professor Jiang (Wang Zhiwen), but he is soon replaced with the renowned professor Yu (Chen Kaige). The day of the big competition is fast approaching, and Xiaochun must decide if this new, high-pressure life is right for him.

Director: Chen Kaige
Producer: Chen Kaige, Bolun Li, Xiaoming Yan, Buting Yang
Screenwriter: Chen Kaige, Xiao Lu Xue
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: China Film Group Corp., 21 Century Shengkai Film
Rating: PG (Thematic Elements|Mild Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Chinese
Release Date (Theaters): May 30, 2003, Wide
Release Date (DVD): Nov 18, 2003
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.1M
Runtime: 1h 58m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)