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Summary: A story about understanding
Review: More than anything, The Road Home is a story about understanding. More often than not, someone comes up with a seemingly irrational request - but a deeper examination of the reasons behind such a request leads one to a deeper understanding. This form of research celebrates the one thing that makes us human - our sense of place. The movie, although set in rustic China, has universal implications. A son comes back to his where he grew up to assist his mother with funeral arrangement for his recently deceased father. What follows is a flashback that is a tale of devotion, tradition and love. There is nothing complicated about the plot, the movie is 95 percent Zhang Ziyi and the ephemeral Chinese countryside. What is focused on though, is what makes the story different. When Luo Yusheng (Sun Honglei) comes back to his village, he discovers his aging mother overwhelmed with anguish over the sudden death of her husband - who has been till then, her constant companion (we do not find out about this until later). His mother insists the son and the village arrange that traditional funeral so her husband can take "The Road Home." The village mayor and the son exchange practical consideration, which effectively convinces the viewer that this is not a very practical thing to do. However, as we get into the story we figure out why it is essential that we follow the mother's request. The shift to the black and white footage is pure genius. As mentioned previously, Zhao Di, (Zhang Ziyi), is the young mother who falls in love with the recently arrived teacher Changyu (Zheng Hao). The movie can tell the story by itself. This temptingly pastoral experience does, on occasion, border on the sentimental. However, the significance of taking the road home give one hope that somewhere we can all find our sense of place - our own road home.Miguel Llora
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Summary: Breathtaking
Review: This is one of my all-time favourite films. A beautiful and poignant romantic tale set in a remote Chinese village, which tells of an enduring love between two young people in rural China. The emotions are vivid and memorable, this really is an extraordinarily beautiful story - with superb filmmaking and breathtaking scenery. Can't recommend it enough. I subscribed to a 'World Movie Channel' just so that I could get this film on tape!
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Summary: Touching and Beautiful
Review: I was moved by the story and the beauty of this film.
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Summary: The Road Home will touch your heart and bring you to tears
Review: Well, I won't get into summarizing the plot here because plenty of other reviewers have already done that. Plus, I think it's always much better to see a movie without knowing what's going to happen next. I will say that this is one of the most emotionally touching movies I have ever seen. And I'm no wimp. I workout at the gym 4 times a week. I've bench pressed 300 pounds. I pride myself on my toughness. But this movie completely broke me down and had me in tears. Everything about the movie adds to the emotional impact, from the beautiful setting to the musical score, but most especially due to the outstanding performance of Zhang Ziyi.
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Summary: Be warned: This is a SLLLOOOOWWWW film.
Review: Like other reviewers, I agree that this is a very beautifully filmed movie. The story is touching, the acting is exquisite. You also learn about rural Chinese culture, and I value any film or novel that helps me learn about cultures to which I have little direct exposure. But be warned: This is a very slow film. And maybe I'm nit-picking here, but after watching the girl wait by the road for what seemed like half the film, I found it a let-down that we never saw the moment she was waiting for, instead, the narrator tells us it happened, then fast forward to present day.
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Summary: A pleasure to the eyes and soul
Review: Love, devotion, respect, honor. I can't think of other words that could better describe this beautiful movie.
Pros: Gorgeous cinematography, acting & directing
Cons: Maybe a little slow moving for those who have been watching too much of Hollywood.
Rating:
Summary: Meditative Movie
Review: Everything is fast these days, Life itself is very fast, these days. I wish we can just sit down peacefully and enjoy a moment's quite elegance. And this is what this movie is. You can't call it slow or boring. That would be disrespectful. Or, I guess you didn't get it. The movie starts in Black and White with a very simple premise. An old woman's determined request to have her dead husband brought home on foot through the road that has been such a part of their lives, so his soul will always know the road home. Simple enough? Actually it turns into a tall order because it is in the dead of winter and there's isn't enough able bodied people to lug the coffin around. But this is just a footnote of the movie. The movie is really about true love that is delicate and unrelenting. It is a classic Zhang Yimou movie. You can tell it is one of his even without seeing his name in the credits. It's like looking at a child and knowing who his parents are. Which is a good thing. It is gorgeous to look at. The setting is photographed beautifully and carefully detailed in every shot. The same attention is also given to the actors, specially Zhang Ziyi. Gorgeous scenery, beautiful actors, a simple moving story and there you have it. You can't help but enjoy this movie.
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Summary: A romantic fantasy with a universal theme
Review: This 1999 Chinese movie is directed by Zhang Yimou, who also brought us "Raise the Red Lantern". It stars Zhang Ziyi, the beautiful young actress who, the following year , received international fame in the well received "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". "The Road Home" is a beautiful film, a romantic fantasy with a universal theme. The first fifteen minutes and the last fifteen minutes are shot in black and white, bookending the story within the story. It is set in a remote village in China, where the land is beautiful and it always seems to be winter. The schoolteacher has died in a distant city. And his widow wants to follow tradition and have his body carried home for burial. At first her son, an engineer in the city who has rushed home, is reluctant to make arrangement for this, but later agrees and her wishes are carried out. This is not the main story though. Between these two black and white segments, there is another story, filmed in vivid color. It is the story of the mother and father's romance. It is sweet and touching and beautiful. The schoolteacher is only 20 years old. The girl is only 18. We watch them fall in love, suffer a separation, and then come back to each other. And this is all told without any physical contact between the two. It's a "feel good" story all the way. I enjoyed the film and the simple story. And I also enjoyed the view of life in China and the fine cinematography. Recommended.
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Summary: The simple things in life are often the best
Review: This is the nicest surprise I've had from a film in a long time. I am a follower of Zhang Yimou's work -- I've seen most of his films, even HERO, which inexplicably has yet to be released in U.S. theaters. THE ROAD HOME is a simple, rural love story built around the director's new muse, Zhang Ziyi (no relation). I guess I encountered this film with very low expectations. At first glance it clearly looks like a break from the director's signature character dramas, when in fact the differences are slight -- Zhang Yimou's storytelling, character development, and filmmaking style are still well in evidence. Instead of a departure in style, this film is a reminder of how the simple things in life are often the best. This is Zhang Ziyi's first film, but apparently it didn't warrant any domestic attention until she became an international star overnight with CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON. Better late than never, I suppose, because her performance here only adds to her growing reputation as one of the brightest young stars in world cinema today. It is also Zhang Yimou's gentlest, sweetest film and one that deserves to be ranked among his best. The black-and-white segments are shot documentary-style and allow the viewer to imagine the characters as real people reflecting on family history. In the middle of the film, every shot is lovingly framed with sweeping vistas and vibrant colors, and seeing it in anything short of widescreen cannot do it justice. Like all his films, THE ROAD HOME displays Zhang Yimou's uncanny ability to capture natural performances from his actors. In her romantic pursuit of a schoolmaster's attention, Zhang Ziyi shows us all manner of emotions, from innocent infatuation to desperate longing to quiet determination. Like her predecessor Gong Li, Zhang Ziyi is able to convey full feeling on camera without saying a word. It is a much more powerful and fulfilling performance than I expected. At all times we feel intimately involved with her quest -- particularly when the camera assumes her perspective, it's hard for the viewer not to feel closer to the story. I think this is one of Zhang Yimou's two or three finest films, and it's probably the most timeless story he has ever brought to the screen. I only wish the middle of the film had gone on longer, so we could share in this wonderful story even more. I also wish more directors and movie studios (especially in the West) could create "small" films and make them say as much as this. THE ROAD HOME is a jewel of a film from one of the best filmmakers in the world.
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Summary: The Best Chinese Movie
Review: Absolutely the best chinese movie that I ever watched. Though the story was simple, it was really touching!! The most outstanding character was Miss Zhang (Di). She could act pretty well as a lovely and pretty country girl who fell in love with a city school teacher. Her beauty with her superb natural acting styles that really captured my full attentions toward her only in this movie. I watched the movie with my tears dripping.
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