An Elephant Sitting Still

My Rating : 8/10

'An Elephant Sitting Still' - what can be said about this masterpiece? At 3 hours 50 minutes it's not something one can rush through. It requires patience and empathy from the viewer. There's no way any normal moviegoer will not find it boring and dull at times but that's where you've gotta find that right mood and environment to really appreciate this gem. This is definitely an acquired taste.

I am a huge fan of movies that deal with inner torment and involve the viewer's absolute trust and surrender. Cries and Whispers, Ida, Mouchette, Stray, The Piano Teacher, In My Father's Den are some of my favourites when it comes to this type of cinema and now 'An Elephant Sitting Still' can be added to this list as well.

Sad to know that the director is no more. R.I.P. and thank you for sending this message out to the world.

The first and last film from "Bo Hu", is one of the great chinese film from mainland china.

When people lost the reason of living, when they feel there's nothing for them. The world they loved, the people they believed is no more there, the life is meaningless. The only think they can think is to die, this film show that stage of four peoples. How they find new meaning of life.

After watching this film I couldn't believed It's Chinese film. The storytelling, the cinematography, the acting, all the sectors is so unique that I just couldn't believed It's Chinese film.

As far as I can say it's the year best film.

There are several reasons why you will not forget this film if you have had the patience to sit through the 4 hours of its slow running time. One of them will be to wonder if the long film was worth your while.

The director Bo Hu only made this feature film in his entire life before he committed suicide at age 29. The film is based on his book that he wrote under a pen-name. With a book and a feature film to his credit, Bo Hu evidently still felt trapped.

All the characters are innocent but nihilistic to the core caught within China's social "no-win" trap if you are not rich or have political connections. Nietzsche would have smiled at this film. There is no way out. Yet they hope optimistically for a better life. It is a curious film that ends up with stupid violent scenes as some recent award-winning films from China have. Nothing positive to take away here after 4 hours. The concept of the elephant sitting still is possibly positive, which is why four adults want to metaphorically see it. One positive takeaway in the indirect commentary on China today, rarely discussed in the media.

Few debuts are this good. Throughout four hours, Hu Bei creates an overwhelminly human and sensitive film, creating characters to which we deeply sympathise and connect with. The more the film moves long, the more impactful it becomes, and soon enough even the smallest actions, the most simple scenes become huge, due to the sheer emotional investment the spectator has. This works mostly for these reasons: Bei's camera, which is always close to the characters, following them in long, some times astonishing shots; the actors, all of them astounding; the long running time, which gives time not just to explore each character, but also for the viewer to just spend time with these people, who we love to care about so deeply. Melancholic but not sad, deeply moving but never sentimental, An Elephant Sitting Still doesn't feel bigger than life: it feels like life, period. To call it a masterpiece would be an understatement.

This is dark, slow, atmospheric drama. There is only one scene that I do not like because of slow pace and that is (no spoilers) when movie is showing rooms from right to left and between rooms there is of course walls and I do not want to look at walls for many seconds but I did, because it is slow paced movie. With all other scenes slowness of the movie is good thing and it is one of those things that makes it great movie. Acting is perfect, I can not imagine better acting. Movie is cruel, there is no much gore and violence. It is story of characters that is cruel and after some time in the movie you do not expect any kind of kindness in the movie and when it actually happens I was pleasently surprised. It is slow, dark, drama, if you do not like these three words do not watch the movie. It is utterly fantastic movie. It is one of those movies that I will not forget, and there is no doubt that I will watch it at least one more time.