Beijing Bicycle

Amazon.com

"Think of yourselves as the carrier pigeons of today!" instructs the manager of a bicycle delivery service. A young man from the country named Guei works diligently at this new job, eager to pay off the company bicycle and make it his own. But just before his last payment, the bicycle is stolen and he's fired--but if he can find it again, he'll get his job back. The emotional stakes of Beijing Bicycle become amazingly gripping: after Guei accidentally discovers that the bike now belongs to a young student who bought it used, a fight over the ownership of the bicycle becomes downright harrowing, for the student has a secret that threatens to humiliate him. Beijing Bicycle ranges from a light portrait of the kinetic poetry of a bicycle in motion to a raw examination of violence driven by envy and guilt. A beautiful, wrenching movie. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Let me introduce you to my little friend ... my Huffy!.......2007-03-08

I remember my first bike. It was a Huffy. It didn't have a name and I believe my excitement for it only lasted one summer, but it did get me from point A to point B, and I will always remember it for those solid memories. What would be my actions if during that one summer of joy my illustrious bike were to be stolen? Would I bring about wrath and vengeance upon anyone that dared cross my path? Probably not, but it would have been fun to have an adventure like the two boys in this film.

To make it simple. Boy is trained to be a courier. Bike is given, but needs to be paid off. Bike is nearly paid for when it is stolen. Boy goes bonkers. Change story. New boy finds love with new (stolen) bike. He makes more friends. He is the rooster of the farm. Then, these two boys meet. Violence begets violence. Boy looses girl. Boy continues to loose job. Violence ensues. Cut to visionary ending about the life of a bike.

Was this a documentary?

"Beijing Bicycle" kept my attention, but left me utterly confused as to who to root for. For the first hour of the film, I found myself on the original boy's side, but somehow changed midstream, but then changed back, only to find myself apathetic towards the end. This is not the consistency that I like my oatmeal. A lumpy camera gave us a sympathetic eye towards both of our characters, leaving us with nobody to love or to hate. I needed a definition with this film. I wanted to root for one character and only one character. By giving me passion for both I didn't really have any emotion towards the ending, which could have been quite dramatic.

I loved the music.

I loved the cinematography.

I loved that it promoted smoking.

I loved the characters - individually, but I needed a defined bad guy and a defined good guy. Don't get me wrong, when Vader picks up the Emperor at the end of "Jedi", I felt sympathy for the bad guy - but think of what the film would have been like if the Emperor kissed Vader right before he fell. That is the emotion happening with "Beijing Bicycle".

Could I watch this film again? Absolutely, but I could not sit still. I would know what was going to happen with our characters, I would know what feelings I would have for both of them by the end, and I would still find myself apathetic to any of their causes. One is strong, while the other is weak. It was like black vs. gray instead of black vs. white. I would call this film a "Study of Cinema's Gray Zone".

I will suggest this film to friends and family as a one time viewing. It was a decent outing for a film about a bicycle, and would have no problems buying this DVD for my old Huffy that is still rotting away in the garage. I think he would like it.

What are my thoughts?

I give this film an "Ehhhhhhhhhggggggggggggggaaaaaaaaaaaaa", as I feel weight on my shoulders as I thumb the edge of this DVD's box.

Truly thought provoking.......2007-02-16

How hard do we hold onto things that really matter to us? Is the bicycle a metaphor - or is this movie just a study in human stubbornness. You decide. Highly entertaining too.

A wonderfully authentic thought provoking movie .......2006-09-28

This is a wonderful story of a chinese migrant kid who moves from the village to Beijing to find a job and all the problems that come with it. This story revolves around his bicycle - essentially. I really enjoyed this movie for it's innocence and authentic feel. This is for one of those days when Hollywood just does not feel right and you need a highly refreshing change. I hope this movie wins some awards and is definitely going on my 'must watch' list.

Plucky young man and his beloved bike.......2006-07-28

A 19 year old comes to Beijing to work and finds a job as a bicycle courier. He has to pay for the bike out of his earnings. Once the bike is paid in full, somebody steals it. Through determination and tenacity, he finds his bike. Another young man paid for it with money he stole from his father. It's a battle of wills between the two young men over the bike. I found it hard to watch because I felt for the farm boy.

I recommend this movie for anyone who got attached to something they worked hard for and lost it through misfortune. I had my bike stole several times as a kid. Amazingly, my parents kept buying me another one but sometimes I had to wait awhile.

There is a heartbreaking scene where he tries to wrestle his bike from tough teens. It got me close to tears.

Choose quality, choose Zhang Yimou.......2006-07-27

As opposed to films which invoke the viewer to question consciousness and worth based on their quality of film making and story, "Bejing Bicycle" is one of those pictures where the viewer is forced to find a deeper meaning 'within' because the movie is simply lacking plot, character, and integrity. If the director was trying to call upon the viewers empathy - this was another failure on his part linked to Bejing Bicycle. After the third time the bicycle is stolen - come on already - you start to watch the clock. If you're looking for a quality film which provokes thought and real dialogue, look no further then Zhang Yimou. This is the kind of directing I believe Xiaoshuai Wang was going for in "Bejing Bicycle" but fail short of the mark.

Average customer rating:

Beijing Bicycle

Manufacturer: Columbia TriStar
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Description

Persistence pays off for country boy Guei (Cui Lin) when he lands a coveted job as a bicycle messenger on the teeming streets of Beijing. The silver mountain bike he now rides will be his once he earns 600 yuan. But just as he makes his final payment, the bicycle is stolen! On the other side of town, Beijing schoolboy Jian (Lee Bing) longs for a bicycle so he can ride around with his girlfriend Qin (Zhou Xun). Tired of banking on his father's empty promises, he steals a sum of money and buys a used bicycle- the bicycle that once belonged to Guei. After endless searching, Guei finally tracks down his bicycle-but there are complications. A tug-of-war breaks out with Jian. Then, they try working out a compromise. But the bargain they makes takes them on an unexpected journey - a voyage of self-discovery that neither one of them will ever forget.

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