Review of Farewell My Concubine (1993) by Luke B — 28 Jul 2009
A wonderful sprawling epic that perfectly captures it's time period. Although it deals with some very important and deep political issues it is essentially a tale of two friends. The film starts with the men as children and we see their friendship grow as they deal with their rough childhood.
Friendship soon turns to love but the arrival of Gong Li creates tension. The film has two incredible performances, one from Zhang as the stronger and more independent friend and Cheung as the tragic and needy Dieyi.
The film has one of the most expertly crafted narratives I've ever seen. Every scene has a point and though it jumps through the decades, the mesmerizing editing means the film flows without interruption.
This is a beautiful 3 hours, a film where everything comes together and makes a powerful and enlightening experience.
This review of Farewell My Concubine (1993) was written by Luke B on 28 Jul 2009.
Farewell My Concubine has generally received very positive reviews.
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