SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Peereddi I was totally surprised at how great this film.You could feel your paranoia rise as the film went on and as you gradually learned the details of the real situation.

Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

huangyiju Beijing Bicycle is certainly a layered movie that can be read at many levels. It ostensibly deals with a delicate and difficult subject that China confronts in its frenzied project of modernization: the floating population who lives on the edge of the city, the marginalized group that can no longer be glossed over in the grand narrative of urbanization. This floating population is the abjection, the cluster that can not be assimilated, the group being ruthlessly cast away but stubbornly clings on, and protests in silence; it is a disoriented group, usually incompatible to the ever-changing landscape of metropolitans; their voice is constantly being submerged in the hubbub of the sleepless cities. Indeed, the floating population is aphemic. What strikes me, frustrates me and saddens me is Gui's inability to communicate, to speak out, and to articulate for himself. (This is a little far off, but I was reminded of the similar frustration I had as a little girl when reading 'the little mermaid': if the mermaid has not given her voice away to the witch, she could tell the prince that it was she who saved him and wins his love.) Similar to the little mermaid, Gui could not speak up when he was wronged and abused. For instance, all Gui could convey to get his bicycle back is either his obstinate silence or his repeated sentence: "zhe che ben lai jiu shi wo de" (the bicycle is originally mine). His desperate, strident and continuous cry when being forced with violence by Jian's gang to let go off his bicycle is simply heart-breaking. Who is to blame for Gui's aphasia? Is it class division? Is it his own dislocation? Or is it the indifference of the city with its condescending atmosphere? The picture is definitely not black and white. The result of his aphasia, on the other hand, is more self-evident: at the end of the movie, Gui eventually turns to violence to break his silence… It is said that at least 60% of the crime that happens in Chinese cities comes from the floating population. They are suggested to be the root of the social problems. News reports constantly show how the innocent city folks are being hurt and robbed by those "the other" from the abjection, the floating population. Beijing Bicycle, however, attempts to approach this abjection, to speak up for those who do not speak for themselves, and allow us to sympathize with their plight.

s13racer With an IMDb rating of 7.4 I was expecting a better movie. Sure, it showed poverty in Beijing that most of us have never seen before, but just because of this, should it deserve a better rating? Some how showing poverty and suffering apparently gets people thinking it was a great movie. It's almost as if they feel sorry for the characters in it, so they feel sorry for a movie that was just OK.The story was OK, the directing was OK, the acting was OK, so I'm still wondering what is it that's making people vote a high rating for this movie? The movies that I list below are somewhat random but rank lower than this movie which I disagree: Higher Learning (6.3) Appleseed 2004 (7.1) Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (7.1) This movie ties with Better Tomorrow (7.4) and can you tell me where's the talent in this movie that compares with John Woo and Chow Yun Fat?As I write this, I came to a revelation.. Females are bringing down my movies.. It would be great if IMDb could split its ratings gender-wise!In conclusion, this movie was just OK. Even if you aren't into racing compacts, you'll find better movie production in Initial D 2005 (5.9).. but then again that's coming from a guy.

henleyleong the movies plot is a bit hard to follow - i think the script is mediocre and too brief. there are some rather ridiculous parts: Jian knows that the bike is Guo's but keeps stealing it?! plenty of swearing mind you, and though the ending is a bit touching, it happens too suddenly. This movie can be funny and ridiculous at times and will make you laugh (because the characters are a bit dumb, really). The girl they consider 'hot' isn't so, in fact shes just a maid dressed up in her mistresses so called posh clothes. Shes just doing this to save face. Anyway, it was OK overall but not my cup of tea. For Sure.

anonreviewer I thought it reminded me of some of the European movies, esp. French. Especially the ones made decades ago.My wife thought the ending was bad, in that it left you hanging.