Up the Yangtze
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Metascore
84 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 17 Critics What's this?

User Score
9.3 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 12 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
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  • Summary: In China, it is simply known as 'The River.' But the Yangtze—and all of the life that surrounds it—is undergoing an astonishing transformation wrought by the largest hydroelectric project in history, the Three Gorges Dam. Chinese-Canadian director Yung Chang returns to the gorgeous, now-disadisappearing landscape of his grandfather’s youth to trace the surreal life of a “farewell cruise” that traverses the gargantuan waterway. With a humanist gaze and wry wit Chang’s Upstairs Downstairs approach captures the microcosmic society of the luxury liner. Below deck: a bewildered young girl trains as a dishwasher sent to work by her peasant family, who is on the verge of relocation from the encroaching floodwaters. Above deck: wealthy international tourists set sail to catch a last glance of a country in dramatic flux. The teenage employees who serve and entertain them—tagged with new Westernized names like “Cindy” and “Jerry” by upper management—warily grasp at the prospect of a better future. "Up the Yangtze" gives a human dimension to the wrenching changes facing not only an increasingly globalized China, but the world at large. (Zeitgeist Films)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: G. Allen Johnson
    100
    Remarkable.
  2. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Andrea Gronvall
    80
    Trained in Sanford Meisner's acting techniques, the director wrests surprisingly emotional disclosures from his subjects.
  3. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Scott Foundas
    80
    By journey's end, Yung has found, in the Yangtze, a brilliant natural metaphor for upward mobility in modern China: Whether they hail from the lowlands or the urban centers, everyone here is scrambling to reach higher ground.
  4. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Kenneth Turan
    80
    One of the real pluses of Up the Yangtze, aside from its empathy with its subjects, is its striking visual quality. Beijing-based cinematographer Wang Shi Qing has an impeccable eye, often coming up with haunting images that show both the beauty and uncertainty of this pivotal time.

See all 17 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. AnnieS.
    10
    Devastatingly haunting, heart-breaking, and beautiful. One of the most stunning and important films of our time.
  2. David
    10
    The father is one of the most interesting, but tragic characters I have ever seen caught on film. His recognition of change, and his responsibilities outweigh any anger he has about relocating. Simply a stunning documentary, one that should be seen by anybody who has bought a product from China, aka everybody!… Expand
  3. JD.
    10
    Whenever the focus switches back to Yu Shui's saga, the film quickly regains its affecting resolve. No more so than in the long, lingering shot of her peasant father who, as the water level rises, is carting off what's left of his home, bearing the load on his back, trudging step by weary step up the steep incline of the riverbank. In mid-climb, the man pauses and, in that frozen instant, belongs both to tomorrow's uncertain world and to yesterday's harsh myth … Expand
  4. DynaM.
    5
    Filmmaker doesn't have a steady balance of form or style. Unevenly audition different methods of filmmaking into one piece. Subject outweighs the film.… Expand

See all 7 User Reviews

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