2 reviews
If you have spent more than 2 days even as a tourist in China, chances are good you had a near-miss traffic accident with a "knight" in yellow-clad armour.
This movie gives us a closer look at the overlooked. In China's biggest cities, the yellow "knights" as they are lovingly called buzz around like bees. Always trying to take a shortcut and running a red light to make a quick buck, the service economy runs on poor non-registered workers risking their life for little pay.
Although thoroughly enjoyable, there's two aspects that hold this movie back slightly: first, the performances are good but the wife actress sticks out like a sore thumb. Poorly acted and poorer written still, it takes you out of the story every time she's on screen. Second, there's several parts where the movie really feels like a propaganda piece paid for by Kua Di companies. Delivering bravely in the rain, to rooftops, to hospitals, all to become the "top driver" and save a kid with leukemia, it actually looks exactly like a popular Kau Di ad that used to run on Chinese TV.
So it's 4/5 for this delivery.
This movie gives us a closer look at the overlooked. In China's biggest cities, the yellow "knights" as they are lovingly called buzz around like bees. Always trying to take a shortcut and running a red light to make a quick buck, the service economy runs on poor non-registered workers risking their life for little pay.
Although thoroughly enjoyable, there's two aspects that hold this movie back slightly: first, the performances are good but the wife actress sticks out like a sore thumb. Poorly acted and poorer written still, it takes you out of the story every time she's on screen. Second, there's several parts where the movie really feels like a propaganda piece paid for by Kua Di companies. Delivering bravely in the rain, to rooftops, to hospitals, all to become the "top driver" and save a kid with leukemia, it actually looks exactly like a popular Kau Di ad that used to run on Chinese TV.
So it's 4/5 for this delivery.
- anon-15964
- Dec 3, 2024
- Permalink
The film has a great narrative arc, is very funny but really real, and gives a look at one section of China's hard workers: the food delivery riders.
Upstream is acted very well, and doesn't ever miss a best in story development or comic timing. It's a great feel-good tale too.
China is a point of interest now of course and one way to glimpse into its society without actually visiting is to watch this movie. The layers of propaganda from the countries of the West about China are so thick that even this one, a comedy but still real, can dissolve a few.
This country is doing so well though it should know its place is below the countries with the superiority complexes, so we get the propaganda to not like it to let our governments do whatever they please to this country.
This film helps us be less hateful while at the same time it's a ball watching it, a film this real we can feel it and relate, while laughing and shedding a tear too.
Upstream is acted very well, and doesn't ever miss a best in story development or comic timing. It's a great feel-good tale too.
China is a point of interest now of course and one way to glimpse into its society without actually visiting is to watch this movie. The layers of propaganda from the countries of the West about China are so thick that even this one, a comedy but still real, can dissolve a few.
This country is doing so well though it should know its place is below the countries with the superiority complexes, so we get the propaganda to not like it to let our governments do whatever they please to this country.
This film helps us be less hateful while at the same time it's a ball watching it, a film this real we can feel it and relate, while laughing and shedding a tear too.
- lambchopnixon
- Oct 19, 2024
- Permalink