Chongquing Blues

Jessie Savini
Review 5
Chongquing Blues: 2010. Genre: Drama. Director: Wang Xiaoshuai. Screenwriter: Yang Yishu. Producers: Hsu Bing-His, Zhang Hao. Cast: Wang Xueqi, Fan Bingbing, Quin Hao, Zi Yi, Li Feier. Running time: 110 minutes.

Lin Quanhai (Wang Xueqi) is a father who wishes to get acquainted with his son, Bo, whom he has not seen in many years. He wants to know his son’s girlfriend, friends, and everyone else in his life. Oddly enough, his son is no longer alive. He is searching to get to know the soul of his dead son, who was killed by the police after stabbing two people and holding a woman hostage at a shopping mall. At the beginning of the movie, Lin begins his journey to discover who his son was, figure out why he committed these violent acts, and determine whether his lack of parenting ultimately contributed to the death of his son.
To uncover the secrecy of Bo’s violent incident, he visits everyone who came in contact with him during his final moments: a young girl working at the cosmetic counter in the mall, a security guard, a doctor whom he held hostage, and the police man who shot him. He talks to each person in length about the events on the day Bo was killed in order to piece the puzzle together. Each person is able to give their side of the story and provide details of the event surrounding his son’s death, but the person with the most insight is the doctor. Since Bo held her hostage for several hours, she was able to talk in great length with the boy and uncover the truth behind his situation: he was mad at his girlfriend for breaking up with him, distressed over a fight with his best friend, and upset with his father for never loving him. She said that Bo was sorry for stabbing the cosmetic clerk and security guard, and that he instantly felt remorse for what he had done. The doctor also told Lin that the boy missed him, and talked about him in great detail during the hours she was held hostage. At the end of their conversation, the doctor commented that Bo would never have hurt her, and it was unjust that the police shot him to death.
During much of the movie, the camera tracks Lin from behind as he tries to clear his conscience and solve the mystery Bo created. All of the sporadic scenes with shots from behind represent the guilt that follows him as a result of being a deadbeat and distant father. They represent the heartbreaking emotions he rarely shows, and his guilty conscience of not being there for his son. Throughout the movie, these scenes become fewer and fewer because Lin begins to come to terms with his guilt and his second-hand involvement in Bo’s death.
Set on the Chongquing River, the location of the film contributes to the dark, gloomy, and mysterious feeling the film depicts. The river literally and figuratively represents the winding journey that the father has before him to come to terms with the death of a son. It signifies a way to escape from his former family (including Bo) and his present family, since all rivers lead to the sea where he works as a captain on a boat. It symbolizes the water of the ocean that his son loved so dearly, because he thought it could bring him closer to his distant father. This symbolism of water contributes to the film by further advancing the deep, dark, and twisted thematic elements of the story.
The movie is gloomy and melancholy. Every character is still in a state of disarray over the shocking death of this young boy. But it is not depressing. It does not leave the audience feeling disheartened over the events the story holds, but rather content that the father was able to reconnect with his son, though on poor terms. He was able to know his son, see his son (through a series of blurry photographs and a video), and solve the ever burning question as to why the incident at the mall occurred. He is able to figure out that though he is not entirely at fault for Bo’s death, his lack of parenting did unfortunately play a role in his downfall. He will also now be able to use what he learned about his son to be a great father to Bo Junior, Bo’s half-brother.
Every element of the film connected by the end to create a story that was bigger than itself. It was not only about a father seeking to uncover the truth about a son. It was about friendship, love, and guilt. It exposes generational differences, levels of the social class system, and corruption in the police force. Each and every element in the film combines to create a piece of art worth the recognition it has received.