Review of King of Peking (2017) by Alan W — 07 Oct 2017

In 1990s Beijing, a divorced father struggles to make a living and keep custody of his son as a travelling projectionist. When that work literally goes up in flames, the father and son team finds themselves resorting to DVD piracy for money.

Making the best of their limited budget, the photography is neo-realist (think Bicycle Thieves or Ken Loach) and the score is mostly classical pieces they can get cheaply but which have been used in classic movies to invoke a sense of cinematic relevance.

Even though the script feels a bit rough around the edges, there is real heart and humour here as this sweet and charming film takes a nostalgic look at a particular place and time that has now been lost forever as a result of China's constant and rapid modernization efforts while reworking elements from Cinema Paradiso, Be Kind Rewind and Kramer vs.

Kramer.