Review of The Road Home

What mainly appealed me to this movie was actually just the fact that Ziyi Zhang was the main star. Having seen her in Rush Hour 2, her beauty was extremely appealing. So to be honest, I had no idea what this movie was really about. Having watched it, all i can say is that Zhang Yimou really knows how to pull a lot of emotion into this story. It transcends two periods into a story that evolves around a long love. Ziyi Zhang plays a girl who is desperate to catch the affections of a young teacher who has moved into her village. Though you know they get togother from the very beginning, as her character is much older and her husband has died, she wishes to have his body carried back home carried by men, which hasn't been done for a very long time. A flashback of the younger couple shows how they met a very long time ago, in a beautifully shot and wonderfully heart warming encounter and relationship established.

There doesn't seem to be much lines for the actors, with only a few scenes in where they communicate, but the emotions are all captured on their faces. The quietness of the film adds a layer of deepened emotion where you can feel Zhang's passion for this man - it doens't need to be conveyed verbally. The film is very romantic and powerful, in such a simple story, yet I was totally mesmerized by it. It also contrasts the old generation with the new, showing differences in traditions, values and the development of a new society (slightly touched upon).

For those who are a fan of romantic films,beautiful scenery and a simple story, this will not disappoint at all.