Overall Rating Awesome: 11.54% Worth A Look: 57.69% Average: 23.08% Pretty Bad: 7.69% Total Crap: 0% 3 reviews, 8 user ratings

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Together (2003)

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by Greg Muskewitz

"Pulling the strings."

A young violin prodigy and his bumpkin father move to the big city (Beijing) for a competition, and are hopeful that the boy will receive instruction from one of the esteemed teachers at the music school.

The movie raises quaint issues of talent and performance versus fame and reception, but the majority of the movie is spent tagging along with the coy boy, a quasi-mother figure he meets, the curmudgeon father, the ailurophile instructor, and the fame-chasing impresario. Kaige, being a sensitive director, also is one to pay close attention to detail in distinct environments and periods (as displayed hitherto from The Emperor and the Assassin to Killing Me Softly). His motivation here is far less inspired by film than it is by the music, and aside from the pleasant performances, it is that passion that makes up for the imbalance. Still well-shot, assembled through a number of selective compositions (which could be said for the music as well), the overall schmaltz prevents it from amounting to anything more. With Tang Yun, Liu Peiqi, Chen Hong, Wang Zhiwen, and Kaige.

[Worth-seeing.]

link directly to this review at http://www.efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=7723&reviewer=172
originally posted: 04/22/04 07:24:18

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OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2003 Philadelphia Film Festival. For more in the 2003 Philadelphia Film Festival series, click here.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2003 CineVegas Film Festival. For more in the 2003 CineVegas Film Festival series, click here.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2003 Sydney Film Festival. For more in the 2003 Sydney Film Festival series, click here.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2003 Seattle Film Festival. For more in the 2003 Seattle Film Festival series, click here.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2003 Brisbane Film Festival. For more in the 2003 Brisbane Film Festival series, click here.

User Comments

4/19/08 ken aurelius Togetherness is a life experience. 5 stars

11/28/03 Kwang Kwon Kaige finally moved to a new subject. A great film with contemporary Chinese life 4 stars

9/23/03 Lumkeman Very nice, worth watching. Superb music!!! 4 stars

9/15/03 Yumcha eater The male protagonist's face is so wooden Pinoccio would be jealous 2 stars

8/17/03 Karal Javier a heart-whelming film that will catch attention. a must-see if you're a music lover 5 stars

8/08/03 Norman Bodarky A delightful film that is not ashamed to show a little sentiment 4 stars

8/02/03 Wombat Delightful and moving 5 stars

6/06/03 dev sexy nude girls 2 stars

IF YOU'VE SEEN THIS FILM, RATE IT!
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USA 30-May-2003 DVD: 18-Nov-2003 UK N/A Australia 11-Sep-2003

Directed by Chen Kaige Written by Chen Kaige Cast Tang Yun Liu Peigi Chen Hong Wang Zhiwen Cheng Qian Zhang Qing

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