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POSTMEN
IN THE MOUNTAINS (1999)
Reviewed
by Andrew Saroch
In
the mountains of Southern China, an aging postman is ready to
relinquish his arduous round and hand over the duties to his
son. Initially the son is determined to travel on his own, but
the father insists on joining him for one last delivery and
show him the proper route to take. The draining three day
journey begins with the father and son barely speaking and
their strained relations over the years are very obvious. With
the father insisting that his son listens to him and not try
to cut corners on the job, the pair seem ill-suited for the
long days ahead. Nevertheless, they gradually begin to
understand each others viewpoints as the son is introduced to
the characters along the way. The different villagers who
takes these postmen to their hearts make the job much more
than it seems and, by the end, the relationship between father
and son is stronger than before.
As
with the superb 'King
Of Masks' this is another fine Mainland film focusing on
relationships. The difference in 'Postmen In The Mountains' is
that this relationship is between a father and son rather than
an adopted version of it. Once again though, it is the
subtlety that binds the film that really makes this so
appealing. The story of an estranged father and son has been
done countless times, but here the effects actually reach the
heart. The direction by Huo Jianqi allows the viewers to see
the characters with their qualities and faults as their bond
develops. Meanwhile the viewer also gets to see some
breath-taking scenery of China; it becomes a significant part
of the narrative by the end of the story.
'Postmen
In The Mountains' is full of charming and touching episodes
that occur on the travels of the two leads. It is these
incidental characters who flesh out the story and help outline
the father's and son's personalities. This is expertly
achieved by the excellent cast; the two main actors are
thoroughly engaging while being nicely understated and the
supporting players add another layer of quality to the
production. Though this isn't up to the lofty heights of 'King
Of Masks' and lacks its overall resonance, 'Postmen In The
Mountains' is a refreshing change of pace from the usual
big-budget flicks. Another must-see film.
Rating:
 
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