SYNOPSIS:
Mr Shi is a retired widower from Beijing. When his daughter Yilan who lives in the U.S. divorces, he decides to visit her in the small town where she works as a librarian. His intention is to stay with her until he helps her recover from the trauma. Though his trip starts off as a mission to see his daughter remarry, he befriends an Iranian woman who despite their language barrier captures his heart.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Together with “The Princess of Nebraska”, “A Thousand Years of Good Prayers” represents a return for acclaimed Chinese director Wayne Wang (best known for “The Joy Luck Club”) to his indie filmmaking roots. It’s really not hard to see why- this is a small, quiet film with a simple story told essentially through just two characters.
The focus of the story, adapted by novelist Li Yiyun from her own novella, is on the father-daughter relationship of Mr. Shi (Henry O) and Yilan (Faye Yu). Right from the start when Yilan receives her father at the airport, one can sense a slight awkwardness about them. Her reaction upon first seeing her father after many years is too muted to suggest any sort of closeness between them- and one’s suspicions are further confirmed when they drive to Yilan’s house in silence.
Through the days and the weeks to come, father and daughter will slowly confront the secrets and unspoken grievances that have kept them apart all these years, culminating in an emotional exchange that doesn’t promise a neat resolution. Such is the nature of life, where families don’t suddenly wish away their pent-up unhappiness. These feelings have a way of lingering around and coming back time and again to remind us of some painful past.
Perhaps the biggest accomplishment of Wayne Wang’s film is how effortlessly it taps into the psyche of the Chinese family, often characterized by a distinct lack of openness and honesty that ultimately leads to resentment. Yet these conflicts are seldom articulated in loud fashion; instead they are better discerned through silences and restraint. Through the interaction of Mr. Shi and Yilan, “A Thousand Years of Good Prayers” becomes a keen observation of such traditions and their consequences.
That the film manages to be engaging despite the fact that nothing really dramatic happens is a testament to Henry O’s beautifully nuanced performance. He conveys the weariness of a father faced with a daughter he barely understands and vice versa, as well as the gentleness of a parent only so naturally filled with care and concern over his child’s wellbeing. Wayne Wang tells his story almost single-mindedly through Mr. Shi and Henry O more than lives up to the challenge of sustaining the audience’s interest.
Rare is a film like “A Thousand Years of Good Prayers” that tells its story so intimately and with such subtlety. This is not a movie with dramatic intentions that tries to blow you away- rather, it’s a gentle rumination on one of the most fundamental things in life. After all, family is the one thing that we are born into, and perhaps the one thing worth a thousand years of good prayers.
SPECIAL FEATURES :
This Code 3 DVD contains no extra features.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Shot in HD, the visual transfer does fine by the movie. Audio is presented in Dolby 2.0 and will suffice for this quiet, dialogue-light picture.
MOVIE RATING:
 
DVD
RATING :
Review
by Gabriel Chong
Posted on 21 July 2009
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