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Year One
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
Yi Yi (A One and a Two)
Universal acclaim
Based on 23 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 33 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Drama
Written by: Edward Yang
Directed by: Edward Yang
Release Date:
Theatrical: October 6, 2000
DVD: May 8, 2001
Running Time: 173 minutes, Color
Origin: Taiwan / Japan
Summary
RATING: Not rated
Starring Nien-Jen Wu, Elaine Jin, Issey Ogata, and Kelly Lee
This film portrays life through portraits of the individual members of a Taiwanese family, each representing a stage from birth to death. (WinStar Cinema)
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database
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...
San Francisco Chronicle Edward Guthmann
Wise, delicate and impeccably performed, Yi Yi is a three- hour drama that looks at one middle-class family in transition -- and does so with such a kind and probing eye that we all see our lives reflected through Yang's lens.
Read Full Review >Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt
Yang favors a gentle and introspective style that shows how deep and strong everyday emotions can run. A memorable treat.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Dana Stevens
In exchange for three hours of your time, Yi Yi will give you more life.
Read Full Review >Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold
It's a magical film -- an exquisitely made and exceedingly wise family drama that communicates a touching sense of the universality of the human condition, and leaves us with the rich emotional satisfaction we just don't seem to get often at the movies anymore.
Read Full Review >Mr. Showbiz Michael Atkinson
The one movie so far this year that every filmgoer should see, if only to get a big dose of what we've been missing from Hollywood.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Desson Thomson
On one level, Yi Yi is classic soap opera, with a suicide attempt, a wedding ceremony, even a brutal 11 o'clock news murder, all in the mix. But Yang's direction is so admirably restrained, it lends rich heft to everything.
Read Full Review >Village Voice J. Hoberman
Although dense with incident and motif, the movie has an effortless flow.
Read Full Review >Newsweek David Ansen
One of the year's best: a rich, funny, enormously humane portrait of a middle-class Taipei family in the throes of romantic, economic and spiritual upheaval.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan
Wonderfully humanistic film. Yi Yi investigates the entire melody of life.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum
Yang seems to miss nothing as he interweaves shifting viewpoints and poignant emotional refrains.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone Peter Travers
A marvel of delicacy and humor.
Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman
Yi Yi is an intimate movie, for all its length and complexity.
Read Full Review >Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
Only rarely is a film this observant and tender about the ups and downs of daily existence.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Ken Fox
Builds so gradually you probably won't realize it's a near-masterpiece until it's over, but there are hints along the way.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten
Capturing the nuances of quotidian life may not be everyone's cup of tea.
Read Full Review >New York Post Jonathan Foreman
Presents an intelligent, profound and at times heartrending slice of Taiwanese middle-class existence - as seen by characters at different stages of life.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 8.2 (out of 10) based on 33 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Nacho C gave it a10:
(Yi Yi, or One and Two) is one of the best films I have ever seen. Took me two sittings; not because of its 178 minute running time but for the sheer epic vision it has on real life. Actual life.
Kim W gave it an8:
I watched this movie in chunks in a Chinese class. Overall, it is a wonderfully moving movie. As a teenager, I find this movie a bit slow. This movie may be too slow for most teenagers used to action movies like Dark Knight. The stories of the different family members are common, but unique to each of them. It captures all parts of life, and has the most adorable little boy being the curious and wise little kid. I do find that some of the questions asked in the movie a little "forced", and Yang was maybe trying to be too deep. All in all, a great movie. If anything, watch the very last scene.
Jeff C. gave it a10:
Nicest movie I've seen in years. Very real, very human and interesting.
Kevin L. gave it a10:
Most beautiful movie I've ever seen. The slow pace is perfect. The timing leaves so much to be said in your mind instead of on screen. The actions and emotions of the characters is wonderfully rendered by the actors, then colored by cinematography techniques and captured on film.
Sohyun W. gave it a3:
After my first viewing, I was hesitant to give it a bad review. Maybe I missed something? But after my first viewing, this is what I came up with: It is very predictable. All the situations were not creative. I can think of real modern day situations more complex and interesting than the ones in the movie. Scene opens with Wedding and characters "build" their personality into already familiar "yawn..." ones to me. Maybe I had overdose of Asian drama. After the second viewing and third viewing, I was trying to understand why such a non creative storyline about an Asian family is so "delicate.... an intriguing investigation on the entire melody of life." After the fourth view, I realized some people like boring, predictable storylines. They like what is known to them, and don't bother to look for something that makes you think about family stages and struggles!!!
Mark B gave it a10:
What a nice surprise to see that my favorite movie of all time is high on the metacritic all-time DVD list! Rent this when you want to watch an excellent, beautiful movie. It's about life in the modern world: human motivations, childhood and adulthood, but especially about the beauty and pain of love that we experience throughout our lives. So many themes, so many great, quiet moments. Be warned that it is long, and not necessarily action-packed throughout, so don't watch if you're sleepy and/or have an unconvinced, not-really-into-it-but-I'll-give-it-a-shot watching partners. But I highly recommend this movie to anyone who likes "thinky" movies, beautiful and creative cinematography, and natural, human characters. You won't regret it.
Jim G. gave it an8:
It took me at least three sittings to watch this movie. Though some suggest it "just" captures everyday life, I suggest it captures life justly--the complexity of each day of each character is as dense, shallow, intriguing, or boring as one wants to make it. Maybe that explains why the ratings here are 1's and 10's. How many viewers does it take to be changed? Just one. But the viewer has to want to change.
