THE RIVER |
| THE RIVER CREDITS: Director: Tsai Ming-Liang Cast: Miao Tian, Li Kangsheng & Lu Xiaolin Taiwan 1997 INTRODUCTION: Winner of the Silver Bear at the '97 Berlin Film festival as well as numerous other plaudits its got to be worth a look right? SYNOPSIS: A dysfunctional Taiwanese family share a house without ever really communicating, until the son is afflicted with a mysterious ailment, that leads the parents to take him to a series of doctors, masseurs, priests, and healers of all denominations. REVIEW: Two hours of footage of the three characters going about their daily lives, eating, drinking, sleeping, urinating & defecating. No aspect of Taiwanese life is too dull to be documented in Ming-Liang's motion (sic) picture, a worthy venture I'm sure but I'm not sure it makes much of a film. Kangsheng is charming enough as the bizarrely afflicted son and Tian puts in a sterling performance as his father. Xiaolin's portrayal of the mother however achieves little but this is because she was apparently forgotten at the script stage rather than any inadequacies in the actresses performance. The third and dare I hope last in Ming-Liang's Taipei series it re-uses many of the themes and characters from its predecessors "Rebels of the Neon God" and "Vive L'amour" but to lesser effect. High in symbolism but low in entertainment, the series has become staid and pallid and seems to of run its course. An interesting set up that ultimately proves disappointingly dull, monotonous and unengaging. Mutt's Rating: ** |