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She, A Chinese (2009)

Director: Xiaolu Guo

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2 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Novelist and filmmaker Xiaolu Guo continues her examination of modern China via this cinematic bildungsroman, in which Li Mei (Lu Huang, pictured), who starts off never having travelled more than five miles from home, winds up in London via a series of unpleasant events. En route, she learns the many ways in which a pretty Chinese girl can be objectified – as a woman, an Oriental, a foreigner – and the general untrustworthiness of most men.

This would be depressing, except that Mei is a delight: a feisty, shrewd young woman, uneducated but intelligent and more than capable of surviving the brickbats life keeps throwing at her. We leave her still in motion, but confident that she’ll get there – wherever there may be.

Author: Nina Caplan

Time Out London issue 2062, Feb 25-Mar 3 2010

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User reviews of this film

Mei said...

Posted on Mar 16 2010 21:51 This is the worst movie I have seen in many years. Everything is shallow and the girl is the worst type of woman I can think of – stupid, naive, and always depend on any men available easily like a parasite. The movie is about her – just showing her cute face and having sex with men. Wasting of my money. That's a movie for Oriental/Asian fetish Western guys.

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Alex said...

Posted on Mar 15 2010 22:46 Excellent, moving film, shot beautifully with a towering performance by Lu Huang as the inspirational Mei. Particularly recommended for fans of Guo's bestselling book A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers. Catch it while you can - deserves a wider release.

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