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A voyage in between a woman who tries to searching for the meaning of life and a man holding a book of poems on the longest river of Mainland China.
There are a number of factors that come into play where the enjoyment of a foreign film is concerned. As long as a film’s script, its metaphors, and its visuals translate into something sensible and fundamentally universal, a film is usually in fair standing. Then comes the matter of the film just as it is, for what it is. It must have the standard elements: plot, direction (literally and figuratively), characters, action, etc. If the film has the necessary elements, it is in good standing. Whether or not the story was worth developing into a two-or-so hour long film is the determining factor in its standing as a good or great movie. The thing about the Yang Chao written and directed film “Crosscurrent,” is that it does not effectively convey the essential elements that make a story. In fact, it’s hard to determine whether the elements are even there at all. For an international audience, at the very least, the movie is confusing, senseless, and lacking depth. Perhaps some contextual text in the beginning of the film about the metaphors and significance of the poetry, locations, and/or visuals would have made a great impact on how the film is received, but much substance was lacking in the project. Maybe it just isn’t meant for the less worldly international viewers. Either way, the mystical Chinese romantic drama is so focused on its visual artistry that it almost completely forgoes plot, action, and direction.
Set primarily in various ports in China, the story (if it can be deemed that at all) follows a man who ships cargo from place to place. He meets a woman who is a little mysterious, alone, and a bit of a traveler like himself, apparently. They connect during some intimate moments together, and most of the hour and a half between anything of significance is full of long, lingering moments of reflection and longing – none of which is conveyed in a way that invokes any emotion from the viewer.
Unlike most other films, there doesn’t seem to be any antagonist in the film, which makes the two hour flick even more bland and testing to sit through. By the end of the first hour, the viewer is left questioning what the point of it all is. And sadly, by the end of the second hour, the point of the story is too insignificant (or simply too dully dramatized) to matter at all.
“Crosscurrent” is clearly the work of an artist and not a filmmaker, as there isn’t enough dramatic substance to make up a movie. The characters lack so much depth that it’s hard to relate to anyone. And apart from the cinematography, the amazing poetry, and complementary musical score, there isn’t much that holds the movie up. This foreign film is definitely not worth the time it demands to relay its message, which is hard to comprehend as it is. Unless you have an understanding and fondness of Chinese symbolism and poetry, “Crosscurrent” is not a good option for movie night.
In theaters Friday, October 28th
