THE STORY OF QUI JU
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1993 James Berardinelli
Rating: 6.5 out of 10 (C, ** out of ****)
Date Released: varies Running Length: 1:40 Rated: PG (Mature themes)
Starring: Gong Li, Liu Pei Qi, Lei Lao Sheng Director: Zhang Yimou Producer: Ma Fung Kwok Screenplay: Liu Heng Music: Zhao Ji Ping Released by Sony Pictures Classics In Mandarin with English Subtitles
What starts as a simple village squabble gets escalated rapidly in THE STORY OF QUI JU. The movie starts with Qui (Gong Li) taking her injured husband Qailing (Liu Pei Qi) to see the doctor. He has just had a fight with the village chief (Lei Lao Sheng), who beat him up. When Qui goes to the authorities to seek recompense for her husband's injury, she receives little in the way of satisfaction. While they are willing to grant Qailing monetary compensation, they will not compel the chief to apologize, which is what Qui really wants. So, despite an advanced pregnancy, she begins a series of long treks to distant districts and cities in an attempt to attain justice.
At times, THE STORY OF QUI JU is a bitingly amusing satire on the process commonly known as the "bureaucratic runaround". This film goes to new extremes to lampoon a process that can make righteous satisfaction a difficult thing to come by. Throughout the film, all Qui wants is a simple apology, but the lengths that she has to go to, and the money that she has to spend, in an attempt to secure it, is astonishing. In the end, we're treated to the most bitter irony of all.
Unfortunately, while QUI JU is sporadically funny, it is also slow-moving to the point of distraction. There is too much back-and-forth, and the story begins to drag well before the halfway point. Boring is too extreme a term for the film since there are a number of memorable highlights, but there are occasions when THE STORY OF QUI JU may lose the attention of some of its viewers.
If there was no other reason to see this picture, at least it can be cited as a good lesson in some of the cultural distinctions of rural mainland China. It's refreshing to get an insider's view in a film not specifically intended for outsiders. This way, we see things in a normal, natural setting, not as staged moments designed to impress foreigners. There are times when this aspect of the film almost makes up for the plodding pace.
Director Zhang Yimou and actress Gong Li have been reunited for the third time (they previously worked together in JU DOU and RAISE THE RED LANTERN). Li's style of acting is marvelously fresh and entirely different from anything originating in a Western country. Her performance is understated, and effective because of it. There is never any sense of melodrama, and Qui's subtle displays of exasperation at the lengths to which she must go to get a fair hearing are completely believable.
Not only does QUI JU tackle the issue of bureaucracy, but it also takes pains to point out the dangers of pride. Whatever ego Qui has is minimal. She doesn't want revenge; she wants justice; and she's willing to go to any lengths to obtain it. The village chief, on the other hand, is willing to do anything except apologize, and this is where the crux of the conflict lies. Were he a little less stubborn, Qui's actions would be unnecessary.
For those who enjoy pictures with little action, a minimalist plot, decent characterization, and a good eye for small details, THE STORY OF QUI JU may be worthwhile viewing. Beware that this is a very un-American movie--everything about it is distinctly foreign--and perhaps its greatest value lies in what it can teach. Nevertheless, the pace of QUI JU borders on ponderous, so a reasonable attention span is requisite. There are rewards to be had from a viewing of Zhang Yimou's latest, but they don't come without a price.
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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