The Reel World: 'Summer Palace'

Gradual-paced film about sexual discovery carries socio-political undertones

By Joe Nguyen, AsiaXpress.com

Feb. 1, 2008

Yu Hong's just a small-town girl, living in a lonely world. But when she leaves to go to a university in Beijing in the fall of 1988, she meets her lover, Zhou Wei, and her life completely changes.

Director Lou Ye ("Purple Butterfly") follows the story of the young couple's relationship amid the backdrop of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in "Summer Palace." Drawing parallels between Yu's sexual exploration and China's political system, Ye creates an intriguing character case study with socio-political undertones. While certain parts of the film dawdles, its unhurried pace is an inviting lull as the characters' growth and regressions unravel onscreen.

Serving as both a strength and a weakness, the film's gradual pace produces a slice-of-life tone. Certain scenes, such as those building the relationship between Zhou and Yu, overstay their welcome. It's one thing to show them riding bikes together, but it becomes monotonous when they just keep going. But more often than not, the tempo allows viewers to absorb the movie.

The backbone of the film resides in its ordinary, yet complex characters. Yu, played by Lei Hao, is confused about what she wants in life, leading to rash decisions that affect others in her life. At times it's difficult to understand her off-beat mindset, but therein lies her charm.

"Summer Palace" is a captivating, albeit slow film into Yu's and Zhou's worlds. This isn't a feel-good movie, nor is it one that is dark and depressing. Rather it's a viewing into the lives of intricate individuals who are trying to figure out who they are in this world.

Joe Nguyen is the editor in chief of AsiaXpress.com. Joe can be reached at joe (at) asiaxpress.com.