PRETTY BIG FEET (Film)., By: Elley, Derek, Variety, 00422738, 2/3/2003, Vol

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Title: PRETTY BIG FEET (Film)., By: Elley, Derek, Variety, 00422738, 2/3/2003, Vol. 389, Issue 11 Database: Film & Television Literature Index with Full Text

PRETTY BIG FEET (Film) Find More Like This

Section: FILM REVIEWS (MEILIDE DA JIAO) (CHINA) A Xi'an Film Studio, CTV-Media Studio Corp., Xi'an Film Studio Corp. production. Produced by Yah Yijun, Wu Dashen. Executive producers, Zhao Huayong, Zhang Huashan, Wang Zhanliang.

Directed by Yang Yazhou. Screenplay, Li Wei. Camera (color), Wang Xiaoming; editors, Ding Ru'an, Wei Dong; music, Zhao Jiping; art director, Huo Tingxiao; costume designer, Chang Rongfang; sound (Dolby), Ji Changhua, Wang Enfeng; assistant directors, Wang Yingquan, Ye Jinxing. Reviewed on videodisc, London, Jan. 25, 2003. Running time: 103 MIN.

With: Ni Ping, Yuan Quan, Sun Haiying, Xu Yajun, Ge Zhijun, Yang Tiahe, Li Wannian, Guo Da, Huang Hong.

(Mandarin dialogue)

Engaging performances by its two leads freshen "Pretty Big Feet," a familiar tale of a plucky peasant teacher helped by a big-city professional that should slide easily into Asian-centered events. Accessible pic was co-winner, with Chen Kaige's "Together," of best director prize at last October's Mainland kudofest, the Golden Rooster Awards -- as well as sharing the best film gong -- prior to release the following month.

A smart young teacher from Beijing, Xia Yu (Yuan Quan), arrives at a primary school in dusty northwest China run by stocky Zhang Meili (Ni Ping). The dry, desert landscape -- actually in central Ningxia province, and strikingly captured by d.p. Wang Xiaoming -- hasn't seen any rain in three years, and everyday luxuries aren't quite up to Xia's urban standards.

Despite their opposite backgrounds, the two women soon bond, and when Xia's husband (Xu Yajun) suddenly shows up to persuade her to return to Beijing, she opts to stay on, even having a quick abortion when she learns she's pregnant. Xia suggests the school should get a computer, and Zhang, by nagging the county head (Li Wannian) and an elderly local businessman (Ge Zhijun), manages to raise the money.

Pic looks like it will follow the timeworn formula of people with sets of different values learning from

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each other. In fact, Li Wei's script sidesteps this early on, with no tension between the two women - - Zhang is happy to play second fiddle to Xia, as it's good for the kids at her school -- and the two leads liven up potentially stereotyped roles.

Yuan, who was glamorously enigmatic in Huo Jianqi's noir-ish "A Love of Blueness" (2000), is here almost girlishly spirited, and totally captivating. In a role that might have been played by Siqin Gaowa a generation ago, Ni brings a rough dignity and simple courage to the role of Zhang, whose devotion to her pupils fills a gap left by the death of her son and husband.

Strongest part of the movie is the central one, as Zhang pursues a clandestine relationship with rural projectionist Wang Shu (Sun Haiying), and Xia settles into her job. Third act, including a trip to Beijing where Xia's marriage is on the rocks, is OK, though the tragic coda feels tacked on.

Though different in theme, and a tad more serious, film has an overall feel similar to Huang Hong's recent rural opus, "25 Kids & One Dad," poised somewhere in the midstream of current Mainland filmmaking. Zhao Jiping's warm score is often far too loud, but other tech credits are good, and the device by helmer Yang Yazhou ("Steal Happiness," plus two co-director credits with Huang Jianxin) of rapid fades to cut off scenes keeps the film moving along.

Awful English title is a poor representation of the Chinese one, which literally means "Meili's Big Feet," referring to Zhang's generous spirit.

~~~~~~~~

By Derek Elley

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