Plot: What’s it about?
An older man runs a traditional bathhouse in Beijing and has two sons, who couldn’t be much more different. One son is retarded and as such, is slower than most people and still lives around his father, while the other son is a businessman who thrives in the breakneck realm of corporations and such. When the latter son is called to return home for a time, he dreads going back and all that comes with it, but agrees to please his father. Once he arrives, he can’t wait until the time has come to return to his business life, but little does he know what lies in store for him. As time passes, he begins to take a new appreciation for his old home and the traditional mannerisms that go along with it. What he once considered old fashioned and pointless, now he has begun to see the true meaning behind some of these events. But when fate knocks on the door and he is forced to choose between his business life and his home life, what will he decide to invest his time in?
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this film, but since I had heard a wealth of positive reviews, I gave the disc a spin. From the reviews, I gathered this was a light comedy with some drama mixed in, which turned out to be very much the truth. I would call this an emotional comedy, since there is a lot of comedic elements to be found within the movie, but also a lot of emotion. So the laughs aren’t just simple humor, they also pack an impact on an emotional level and that adds a lot to the film’s charm. The simple nature of the film might seem limited, but in truth the filmmakers are able to pack a lot within that basic premise and it all works very well in the end. This one won’t be for everyone and some nudity is seen, so this is best suited for older audiences. I think the slow pace and subject matter will scare off most young people, but the film never drags much and the time is well spent in my opinion. I recommend this film as a rental, as the disc doesn’t have much to encourage a purchase.
This film might seem rather simple in design, but I think the crew does a superb turn in making the rather basic elements come off very well. The visuals are simple at heart, but I think that allows the material to take the focus, as opposed to being lost in a complex scheme. Don’t confuse simple for ineffective either, as the visuals seem to mesh with the events very well, which means the whole film has a natural flow to it. I like this very much, as I prefer a simple visual turn to one that distracts from the true purpose of the movie. We need to focus on the small touches in this movie, so this visual approach allows that happen and in fine form. The director of Shower is Zhang Yang, who drives home the material to effective ends. Yang (who also helmed Spicy Love Soup) also helped pen the screenplay, along with several other talented workers. The cast here includes Jiang Wu (A Beautiful New World, Lifetimes), Cunxin Pu (Postman, The Blue Kite), and Zhu Xu (The King of Masks, Beijing Herbs).
Video: How does it look?
Shower is presented in a 1.66:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The film’s contrast is vital to the visuals, so I am pleased it is so well replicated here. The dominant whites of the bathhouse come off in fine form, while the darker hues contrast very well, creating a striking visual plate. The bathhouse might not be too complex in terms of visuals, but this contrast adds a lot to how well it works. The colors seem a little soft, but still bright and consistent for the most part, while flesh tones seem natural as well. No real problems aside from the slight softness and infrequent debris on the source print, this is a terrific looking transfer.
Audio: How does it sound?
This disc includes the film’s original Mandarin language track, presented in a more than solid Dolby Digital 5.1 track. This is a dialogue driven piece for the most part, but the surrounds see plenty of action nonetheless. Some of the bathhouse sequences contain some subtle audio use that enhances the experience, while the music also kicks in to help immerse the viewer into the movie. The dialogue is the center of the audio though and it sounds great, no clarity or volume issues in the least to discuss. This disc also contains a 2.0 surround track in Mandarin, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc contains some talent files, but no other extras specific to this motion picture.
