Beijing Bicycle

Movie Info

Genre(s): Foreign

Written by: Wang Xiaoshuai
Peggy Chiao
Tang Danian
Hsu Hsiao-ming

Directed by: Wang Xiaoshuai

Release Date:
Theatrical: January 25, 2002
DVD: July 9, 2002

Running Time: 113 minutes, Color

Origin: China / Taiwan / France

Summary

RATING: PG-13 for some violence and brief nudity

Starring Cui Lin, Li Bin, Zhou Xun, and Gao Yuanyuan

The story of two teenagers who endeavor to share a highly valued bicycle after a dispute over its ownership.

Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site

What The Critics Said

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What Our Users Said

Vote Now!The average user rating for this movie is 7.9 (out of 10) based on 25 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Charlie C. gave it a0:
Lordy, lordy..... it was like watching a really bad soap opera. In all movies the viewer is required at some point to simply "believe" and enjoy. A this clunker progressed there was less and less to believe. Bad beyond bad. Watch it only if you think you are going to live forever and therefore feel you can afford to waste over 90 minutes of your time on earth.

Michael gave it a9:
First, this is a film, not a movie. Second, it is very well done and provides far more than worthy entertainment, it is informative, intelligent and thought provoking. Third, for me, it helps me get closer to my home away from home. I spend 3 to 4 months each year in Beijing for business over the course of about 4 trips. I have done so for several years. This is by far my favorite film about Chinese life in the major cities. However, it does require intelligence to understand the film. It also requires experience in China to recognize some subtleties. My only dissappointment is that I wish it had developed more the story of class difference - I think it missd some great opportunities that would have provided real insight for westerners who are interested in China as it goes through its current transition into capitalism, but have not had real opportunity to examine it either on location or other means. As a story in itself, it is clealy influenced by other films, but quite frankly, every movie I have ever seen is influenced by something that preceded it. This is a wonderful film.

amy gave it an8:
I grew up in Beijing and now studying in Europe.This movie game me a heavy feeling about the "agricultural workers" in my city.I am familar with many of the scenes and living environment charicterized in this movie.I helped understand what shaped part of my personality. I appreciate this movie,however,it is a little too realistic and critical that it doesn'T give people hope,but it does make me think. I think the unequal income distribution in China should draw the governance attention. Comforting enough,the chinese goverment has already carried out various policies in favour of the people from lower class, including these people from countryside who are seeking opportunities in big cities. I believe the move was filmed at least 5 years ago, and the things are slowly improving. I also thought that, education is the key to the development of either a indivitual or a nation. If only had the boys had some common legal knowlege, they wouldn"t have chosen the extrem way of dealing with conflicts. This movie is valuabe.

Rey De L. gave it a 10:
I think this is a really great foreign movie i would recommend it to anybody that likes the chinese culture.

Christophe H. gave it a 9:
Le vélo outil de travail, faut il en etre propriétaire... Ce film montre le capitallisme arrivant en Chine...

Josh gave it a 10:
I agree this movie has an unspoken depth that American movies rarely get to. Having spent 4 years of my life in the orient I can say that it gives me a better appreciation for the culture. The struggle is the same world over, it's just how it's communicated that makes this such a special movie. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

Ark gave it a 3:
This movie simply didn't go anywhere. It was down-to-Earth, and interesting to start, but the characters were frustrating and didn't develop. In fact, they kind of spiralled downwards to the unsatisfying conclusion. I wasted my time with this movie.

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