31/24
Two lonely souls embark on a new journey together
Story
Released from prison, Lang returns to his hometown in northwest China. As part of a dog patrol tasked with eradicating stray dogs before the 2008 Olympics, he becomes close to a black stray dog. Eddie Peng [lead role] developed such a strong bond with Xin, the dog featured in the film, that he adopted her after filming ended.
"Language" (Eddie Peng) returned to his hometown after prison
We learn more about the reasons for this and his distant relationship with his zoo-loving father as the story progresses, as well as the fact that he was once one of the most famous citizens of the popular bar. band. With the Beijing Olympics (2008) approaching, the government is putting emphasis on improving the venue – and that means some pretty significant “improvements”.
to his home on the edge of the Gobi desert
Much of it is already slated for demolition, and with most of the heart (and soul) of the site already removed, authorities are turning their attention to the serious problem of hundreds of feral dogs roaming around and potentially spreading rabies. There is one particularly thin black one, which is worth 1000 yuan if caught, and is the target of “Lang” in motorcycling. The thing is, this mutt is no joke, and soon he’ll be chasing (and biting) more.
One particularly awkward snack finds himself locked up in his quarantined home and as bonds begin to form, we also understand the animosity some feel towards this man
With bulldozers never far away, his ailing father’s zoo no longer able to care for its residents, and vengeful butcher “Hu” (Hu Xiaoguang) and his thugs seeking revenge, we enter the story of this new friendship, which is quite attractive. It’s predictable in stages, but in reality it’s Peng’s mostly dialogue-free effort against a backdrop of relentless winds, dust and trains in a still-lifeless city that gives this little punch. It’s not so much about destroying the city for the Olympics, although that’s clearly on director Hu Guan’s mind, it’s about why there was ever a city here.
inhospitable place in town?
It’s dark and dreary, a palpable oasis in the middle of nowhere, and this environment works well because the man himself feels lonely, separated, and emotionally and physically rootless. It’s a slow watch, but not a two-hour one, and it pretty effectively sums up the mundane, the lack of options, and the desire for a real sense of freedom. I warn you there isn’t much going on – but I enjoyed it.
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