Gong Li gives a great performance as a nightclub diva who is the mistress of a mob boss. Told from the point of view of a boy sent by the gangster to wait on the arrogant singer, the story follows these characters over several days as they flee Shanghai to hide out in the countryside.
Acting is universally good, especially the roles played by the boy, Wang Xiaoxiao. He's wide eyed with wonder and very believable. The director is Yimou Zhang. I've seen several of his films and they are all good, but this somehow misses the mark. It was well done well but I was uneasy throughout and found it dragged a bit. Shanghai Triad is successful inasmuch as it depicted a time and place and atmosphere. I recommend it for its style and introduction to Chinese film.
It's a special movie other than the bland script. It's a movie about acceptance and humanity. The character's seemed fully developed to me and the scenery was wonderful. I always love a movie because of it's beautiful visual effects. I think that that is half of the movie, if you can describe the sights and sounds that the character feels as well as their thoughts and feelings. But it was a wonderful movie from that aspect. I loved how at the end the little boy ran to save Gong Li, even though he hated her and feared her at the beginning. There was something very noble and special about that.
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