Cai (Yu Aier)
Cai (Yu Aier)

Read our Editorial Guidelines regarding how posts are written and rated and our use of affiliate links.


Plot Summary

Cai has gone through a lot and is going through a lot. She is in the processing of divorcing her husband, who she shares a daughter with, her father is sick and her relationship with her mother is toxic. On top of that, she accidentally injured a old woman and it is making life for her and her daughter hard.

But, unlike her sister, she can’t run from life so she has to face it and flirt with any opportunity for happiness she can have.

Cast and Characters

Character’s Name Actor’s Name
Cai Yu Aier

Cai

Cai is a middle aged, housewife, who is struggling. Her relationship with her husband is volatile and mirrors a lot of what she grew up with and her relationship with her daughter is on a decline. She is unhappy and while she knows what is making her unhappy, how to find joy is a completely separate challenge.

Review

Our Rating: Positive (Worth Seeing)Recommended | Mixed (Divisive) | Negative (Acquired Taste)

Good If You Like

  • Character Studies

Check out our movies page for our latest movie reviews and recommendations.

On The Fence

It Teases at Interesting Stories But Doesn’t Follow Through

Throughout the film, various storylines are teased but not developed. Whether it is the hint of homoeroticism between Cai and her house keeper, playing out what you may think is the story in Cai injuring an old woman, the dissolution of her marriage, complicated relationship between her and her parents, her daughter, there are so many options presented.

Yet, none are taken in such a way to make you feel, to develop a connection or really be invested to the point you don’t feel the need to check how much time you estimate is left. For as writer/ director Qiu Yang noted after the screening, this is a character study and the character of Cai is partly based on his mom. So, similar to him, you are trapped in a outside looking in perspective and don’t really get to know Cai beyond what she tells you and all you can get is peeps of her that don’t really tell a story.

Background Information

Film Length 1 Hour 38 Minutes
Date Released June 6, 2024
Distributor Tribeca Festival
Director(s) Qiu Yang
Writer(s) Qiu Yang
Genre(s) Drama, Non-English (Mandarin)
Content Rating Not Rated
Content Information
Dialog Cursing
Violence Family Violence
Sexual Content Nudity, Sexual Situations (Implied)
Miscellaneous Smoking

Listed Under Categories: ,


Follow, Like and Subscribe


Sending
User Review
0 (0 votes)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.