Rating: 
Summary: I'M HEADING FOR AN "ON-SEN"
Review: What a heartwarming film from China!The plot is delectably "fresh" yet universal -- a successful businessman from Shenzhen (in southern China, close to Hong Kong) visits his elderly father and younger brother after a long separation, upon a mistaken pictorial message that his father has expired. The old man and the (intellectually deprived) younger son run an old fashioned bathhouse in downtown Beijing. Upon finding out that the postcard he received was misleading and that the father is well and good, the elder brother wants to return back to his life. Will he? Can he? The fluid narrative is laced with some subtle humor so as not to depress or bore the audience. The slice of real-life China is delectable, the scenes of the men's camaraderie and reverie in the bathhouse are alone interesting enough to grab a copy of this DVD. The chemistry between the actors is wonderful. The bathhouse, it turns out, has a deeper presence in the movie than being simply the backdrop for the family. As the father told the son the story of his wife's family in the northern deserts of china, the element of water and bathing becomes an almost sacred ritual. Water was so scarce that a simple bath had profound depth and meaning. Although some moments verge on over-done sweetness (even bordering on cloying during the final park recital scene when water makes an intridguing appearance), "Shower" is overall a very effective film with a simple yet touching message. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: I'M HEADING FOR AN "ON-SEN"
Review: What a heartwarming film from China! The plot is delectably "fresh" yet universal -- a successful businessman from Shenzhen (in southern China, close to Hong Kong) visits his elderly father and younger brother after a long separation, upon a mistaken pictorial message that his father has expired. The old man and the (intellectually deprived) younger son run an old fashioned bathhouse in downtown Beijing. Upon finding out that the postcard he received was misleading and that the father is well and good, the elder brother wants to return back to his life. Will he? Can he? The fluid narrative is laced with some subtle humor so as not to depress or bore the audience. The slice of real-life China is delectable, the scenes of the men's camaraderie and reverie in the bathhouse are alone interesting enough to grab a copy of this DVD. The chemistry between the actors is wonderful. The bathhouse, it turns out, has a deeper presence in the movie than being simply the backdrop for the family. As the father told the son the story of his wife's family in the northern deserts of china, the element of water and bathing becomes an almost sacred ritual. Water was so scarce that a simple bath had profound depth and meaning. Although some moments verge on over-done sweetness (even bordering on cloying during the final park recital scene when water makes an intridguing appearance), "Shower" is overall a very effective film with a simple yet touching message. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Shower: getting clean is only a small part
Review: Yes people in china like to bathe. Some, like in the opening shot, prefer a fast, technological scrub, while others prefer to drown the day away in the comfort of local bath houses. This is not one of those foreign films that tries to take you to a mythological past, or present you with the problems of a system, it tries to show you real people and the way their souls, and bodies, are cleansed. Fine performances by the lead actors, especially Wu Jiang who plays Er ming, the younger brother who is mentally disabled but is quite content to work in his fathers local bathhouse, where most of the guests treat him like family. The father and Er Ming have a special bond, jogging after work, which ends up in a contest, seeing who can hold their breath the longest and spraying each other as they clean the bath house. In a fine subdued performance Er Ming's older brother comes back for a visit, thinking that his father was ill because of the post card sent to him by Er ming. When all turns out well intially, Da ming, (older brother), wants to return home. But as fate would have hit something does happen to father and Da Ming is forced to make a choice about his destiny, which is explained to him in such a unique way by a dung beetle special on tv. This film is filled with good heart and wit and is one that should be viewed by those who want substance over style and for all of you who are tired of pearl harbor, swordfish, gone in 60 seconds mentality the most of mainstream hollywood studios think you will like
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