Review of Lan Yu (2001) by Rich B — 03 Jun 2005

Lan Yu (2002) "Its goodness is a decision for the mouth to make.".

A wealthy Chinese businessman and a struggling Chinese student trade sex for favors until the student?s affection grows too great and the businessman opts for marriage with an associate, tossing aside the relationship with the same sense of ethics he uses to run his business. Years later, following the businessman?s divorce, they meet again by chance. At the same time, corrupt practices within his business are discovered, and the businessman faces imprisonment, and possibly the death penalty. The businessman avoids imprisonment partly through the help of the student, who had saved the lavish cash gifts he had received during their initial relationship. True love emerges, but only fleetingly as tragedy waits just around the corner.

The movie is based on a popular cyber story in China called Bejing story. An old story (myth) with a new twist, the film also offered a glimpse of life in China, where it is possible to see that their world isn?t all that different from our own. By the way, the film is banned in Mainland China due to the gay theme.