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Not One Less
EMAILPRINTSony Pictures Classics
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 22 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 10 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Drama
Written by: Xiangsheng Shi
Directed by: Yimou Zhang
Release Date:
Theatrical: February 18, 2000
DVD: August 22, 2000
Running Time: 106 minutes, Color
Origin: China
Language(s): Mandarin (with English subtitles)
Summary
RATING: G for General Audiences
Starring Minzhi Wei, Huike Zhang, Zhenda Tian, Enman Gao, Zhimei Sun, and Yuying Feng
In a remote mountain village, the teacher (Gao) must leave for a month to care for his mother. The mayor can find only a 13-year old girl (Wei) to substitute, even though she is only a few years older than her students.
Also On Metacritic
FILM: Curse of the Golden Flower Happy Times Hero House of Flying Daggers Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles The Road Home
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
New York Daily News Jami Bernard
It's an uplifting movie about the rewards of perseverance and community.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington
A beautiful and genuinely spirit-lifting film about poverty and education.
Read Full Review >Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy
If it touches up against the syrupy at a very few moments, it's nevertheless consistently clear-eyed and convincing.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Leslie Camhi
The film's occasional dips into sentimental cuteness and its too-pat ending can't cancel the gap that yawns ever wider between rural and urban society.
Read Full Review >LA Weekly F. X. Feeney
Zhang's work is always worth watching, but this is the first of his films in which the sorrows are so heart-rending, its many comic moments so laugh-out-loud human.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan
Has a warmth and sweetness that is especially hard to resist.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten
In many ways, Not One Less resembles the socialist-realist dramas of the early Communist regimes.
Read Full Review >San Francisco Chronicle Peter Stack
It's an excellent movie for kids, because it is about how amazing children can be.
Read Full Review >New York Post Jonathan Foreman
A sweet, lushly photographed but occasionally slow film.
Read Full Review >San Francisco Examiner Wesley Morris
Like a Sally Field movie by Vittorio De Sica: Zhang wants to affect you with the subtle sting of his politics.
Read Full Review >Seattle Post-Intelligencer Paula Nechak
An empowering film for children, showing them at their most capable, working through problems and finding innovative solutions to overcome what seems like an insurmountable obstacle.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Jay Carr
In style and story line, the film is daring in its simplicity.
Read Full Review >Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
His story is simple, unadorned, direct. Only the margins are complicated.
Read Full Review >Miami Herald Phoebe Flowers
Zhang, who tried to make his actors as unaware of the camera as possible, lets the story evolve slowly and deliberately.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Ken Fox
This is much more than a typically one-dimensional message-movie -- it's obviously the work of a master filmmaker .
Read Full Review >Washington Post Desson Thomson
At first, the picture is moving. . And suddenly charm turns to quasi-commie didacticism.
Read Full Review >Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt
Use of a loosely written screenplay and a nonprofessional cast in this picture weakens its dramatic appeal even as it lends authenticity and local color.
Read Full Review >Time Richard Corliss
To Western eyes, this meandering parable registers as a perplexity and a disappointment.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum
Its resolution reeks of phoniness and self-congratulation, even if some of the narrative strands leading up to it are fairly absorbing.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 7.7 (out of 10) based on 10 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
TY L gave it a10:
Innocent, charming, real and moving. I've traveled the east and this movie reminds me of some of the harsh realities of rural areas and the small yet significant miracles of humanity.
R. C, gave it an8:
After living in China for 1 1/2 years I related to the interesting dynamics of the people in the movie. It was not unlike real life experienced by those that live in the country. Very Chinese.
Penelope V. gave it a10:
Simple story but with a great message. A teacher has to look beyond the eyes of her students, love and understand her students. Her job goes beyond teaching. Her jobs means reaching out to her learners with her mind and heart. I love the movie!
Donna Hill R. gave it a 10:
It's great. it depicts harsh and beautiful realities that exists even up to date. a moving film.
Robert H. gave it a 10:
It's simple and heartwarming... my fave movie of all time!!
