The poetic opening of "Riding Along for Thousand of Miles" shows a pensive Takata at the edge of the sea in a remote fishing village where he now lives. Having left his wife and child earlier in his life has estranged his relationship with his only son Kenichi, a film maker, who is now sick at a Tokyo hospital. When Riu, his daughter-in-law calls, he doesn't hesitate to go to his son's side. At the hospital, Kenichi doesn't want to see his father, who goes away hurt.
After Riu has given Takata a tape of his son's film on Chinese opera, which he loves, and was not able to finish, he suddenly decides to surprise Kenichi with a film where he will capture this opera for him. Little prepares the older Takata for what he will find. First, what appeared to be an easy task, becomes a project in which Takata was not counting on.
When Takata is told about his son's death, he becomes even more passionate in finishing the job for what he came to a remote spot in China, even when he has to fight the local bureaucracy and the red tape he finds is hindering him from what he came to get. Basically, this story is about the guilt Takata feels for abandoning his only son. When Takata learns that the main opera singer Li Jiamin is in prison and his small son Yang Yang is unhappy as he will be sent away, it makes him more resolute to finish the job.
Director Yimou Zhang shows why he is one of the best Chinese directors of his generation. Mr. Zhang takes us for a magical ride into a culture to meet its richness and the wonderful Chinese people, who are no different from Tanaka, or from us, for that matter. The brilliant photography by Zhao Xiaoding, showing splendid views of the mountains in Yunan province, are too beautiful for words.
The film was a tribute to that marvelous Japanese actor, Ken Takakura, one of the giants in that country's cinema. There is not a false move from Mr. Takakura throughout the film. He is worth the price of admission. Shinobu Terajima is seen briefly as Riu. Jiamin Li, Liu Qui, Jian Wen, and the cute Zhenbo Yang, who appears as Yang Yang, contribute to make the film the joy it is.
Yimou Zhang clearly demonstrates why he is one of the best.
After Riu has given Takata a tape of his son's film on Chinese opera, which he loves, and was not able to finish, he suddenly decides to surprise Kenichi with a film where he will capture this opera for him. Little prepares the older Takata for what he will find. First, what appeared to be an easy task, becomes a project in which Takata was not counting on.
When Takata is told about his son's death, he becomes even more passionate in finishing the job for what he came to a remote spot in China, even when he has to fight the local bureaucracy and the red tape he finds is hindering him from what he came to get. Basically, this story is about the guilt Takata feels for abandoning his only son. When Takata learns that the main opera singer Li Jiamin is in prison and his small son Yang Yang is unhappy as he will be sent away, it makes him more resolute to finish the job.
Director Yimou Zhang shows why he is one of the best Chinese directors of his generation. Mr. Zhang takes us for a magical ride into a culture to meet its richness and the wonderful Chinese people, who are no different from Tanaka, or from us, for that matter. The brilliant photography by Zhao Xiaoding, showing splendid views of the mountains in Yunan province, are too beautiful for words.
The film was a tribute to that marvelous Japanese actor, Ken Takakura, one of the giants in that country's cinema. There is not a false move from Mr. Takakura throughout the film. He is worth the price of admission. Shinobu Terajima is seen briefly as Riu. Jiamin Li, Liu Qui, Jian Wen, and the cute Zhenbo Yang, who appears as Yang Yang, contribute to make the film the joy it is.
Yimou Zhang clearly demonstrates why he is one of the best.