Review by Sunny Oh.

You’ll watch Ying Liang’s The Other Half not for the protagonist’s story, but for its context and its secondary plotlines. Clunky acting in poignant moments and predictable plotlines prevent the audience from empathizing with the protagonist Xiaofen, a young woman struggling to deal with her match-making mother and her difficult boyfriend.

Rather, the interesting stories come from the people -mostly women - who file into the law firm where Xiaofen works and narrate their life stories and problems. Their stories demonstrate the self-absorption and petty bitterness that arise when social networks disintegrate. The topics cover everything from adolescent rebellion and financial corruption, to polygamy and revenge.

As a backdrop to the squabbling citizens of Yigong City, a local chemical plant struggles to manage its industrial accidents. The plant and its troubles provide a glimpse into the environmental costs of China’s rapid industrialization. The Other Half provides frank images into the urban ugliness of contemporary China.

The Other Half
Ying Liang | China | 2006 | 111min

Thur. Sept. 27 | 7:15pm | Empire Granville Theatre
Sun. Sept. 30 | 11:00am | Pacific Cinemathque