A surprisingly politically daring movie made by China's foremost comedic group, Kaixin Mahua. The characters, who are all caricatures of modern society individuals elevate the simple premise of making a donkey into a teacher so they could get more funding is anything but simple. The principle who wants to do the right whatever the cost, the freedom seeker who is taken advantage of, the loyal servant who bows to reality, the turncoat or even the simpleton are all trying to survive in a deceitful situation where they have no control over. Is the film funny? Not comparing to other Mahua Production films, but it is deeper in its meaning and less sappy. The film is a great parody of modern society China where lies just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
6 Reviews
Some Backgrounds for You before Watch the Film
wittsss16 April 2017
This is a tragedy of a 1940's Chinese feminist. And much more than that.
Since the English subtitles are trash, and lack of some key info. To help to understand this film better, here are some backgrounds you should know:
The story happened in mountainous China in the 1940s. When Chinese suffered from the Japan's invasion in WWII, in this undeveloped little village far away from the war, a group of idealists who share a dream of "educating every children in the rural China (like NCLB)" of whom each has their own problems back in the city, founded a primary school. They soon find themselves face a series of ethical dilemmas and suffer the consequences of the choices they've made. Lies between their campus and the nearest water source is an over 10 kilometers treacherous mountain road. A black donkey named "lv de shui" is essential for them to get enough water for drinking and domestic usage. The title of this film, Lv De Shui, in Chinese means the water-fetching donkey, which is the name of the donkey.
But the school's budget proposal for keeping the donkey is denied by the government. So they fabricate a fake person named "Lv De Shui", as their school's English teacher, and use that freeloading money to cover their cost on the donkey. And one day, an official from the Ministry of Education came to inspect Mr. Lv De Shui, their English teacher...
OK, that's as far as i can go without giving you any spoilers.
This film gives you a stage-play feeling in cinematography and editing. The acting is quite convincing and genuine. And hats off to the cinematographer, Mr. Jong Lin. The color use in the film is bold yet beautiful. And the theme song, I love it.
This is an ambitious film in which the directors try to raise some questions, Like, does the ends justify the means? if yes, how far is too far? Where should we draw the line? If not, should we just stop and do nothing? Or are those who do nothing better than those who are willing to do anything? Or do we have the right to judge? Or in general, are we entitled to judge others life choices at all?
Like, which is more awful? Set a very high moral standard and can't keep it or simply set a low one?
Like, how easily people are to submit when facing violence or power.
Like, how far your act of righteousness can go when the act itself will cost you financially and physically?
Like, how hurtful it could be of labeling people.
But for me personally, I think it's about being truthful and brave, be truthful to yourself and be brave to stand up for yourself.
Watch it, you'll like it.
Since the English subtitles are trash, and lack of some key info. To help to understand this film better, here are some backgrounds you should know:
The story happened in mountainous China in the 1940s. When Chinese suffered from the Japan's invasion in WWII, in this undeveloped little village far away from the war, a group of idealists who share a dream of "educating every children in the rural China (like NCLB)" of whom each has their own problems back in the city, founded a primary school. They soon find themselves face a series of ethical dilemmas and suffer the consequences of the choices they've made. Lies between their campus and the nearest water source is an over 10 kilometers treacherous mountain road. A black donkey named "lv de shui" is essential for them to get enough water for drinking and domestic usage. The title of this film, Lv De Shui, in Chinese means the water-fetching donkey, which is the name of the donkey.
But the school's budget proposal for keeping the donkey is denied by the government. So they fabricate a fake person named "Lv De Shui", as their school's English teacher, and use that freeloading money to cover their cost on the donkey. And one day, an official from the Ministry of Education came to inspect Mr. Lv De Shui, their English teacher...
OK, that's as far as i can go without giving you any spoilers.
This film gives you a stage-play feeling in cinematography and editing. The acting is quite convincing and genuine. And hats off to the cinematographer, Mr. Jong Lin. The color use in the film is bold yet beautiful. And the theme song, I love it.
This is an ambitious film in which the directors try to raise some questions, Like, does the ends justify the means? if yes, how far is too far? Where should we draw the line? If not, should we just stop and do nothing? Or are those who do nothing better than those who are willing to do anything? Or do we have the right to judge? Or in general, are we entitled to judge others life choices at all?
Like, which is more awful? Set a very high moral standard and can't keep it or simply set a low one?
Like, how easily people are to submit when facing violence or power.
Like, how far your act of righteousness can go when the act itself will cost you financially and physically?
Like, how hurtful it could be of labeling people.
But for me personally, I think it's about being truthful and brave, be truthful to yourself and be brave to stand up for yourself.
Watch it, you'll like it.
After this joke, don't cry
yaoxiaoming28 October 2016
Warning: Spoilers
As the film's slogan said, tell a joke, you can not cry. "Mr.Donkey" This film is rare in China, is not easy to release, when a movie, the more you do not want it to finish, it shows that this is a good movie. The ridicule between the absurd comedy color of the tragedy of the brewing, so that "donkey water" can be funny, But overall, this is a script tamp, intriguing black comedy. The film at the beginning of the era background in a remote village school, principals and three teachers conspired with a pull water donkey fictional teacher "Lvde water". To receive more than a salary to the Education Bureau, but how the EDB to the school inspectors, so a unidentified cobbler posing as Miss Lu absurd things to start, and to lie and continue to prepare the lie, The power of the film to promote the plot, but also for its tragic outcome foreshadowed.
With the continuing ferment of this lie, this subversive attack on intellectuals and the corruption of education in a given environment, through the alliance of teachers and coppersmiths who are not strong, make the story more humorous and endowed with depth, In order to achieve the so- called dream unscrupulous divisions, and ultimately the film everyone from the good expectations were to be broken one by one, humanity is also completely lost before the bottom line of greed, the ugly most incisive show, to build the film is extremely good Of the inner depth.
With the continuing ferment of this lie, this subversive attack on intellectuals and the corruption of education in a given environment, through the alliance of teachers and coppersmiths who are not strong, make the story more humorous and endowed with depth, In order to achieve the so- called dream unscrupulous divisions, and ultimately the film everyone from the good expectations were to be broken one by one, humanity is also completely lost before the bottom line of greed, the ugly most incisive show, to build the film is extremely good Of the inner depth.
Great story
otto-hu11 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This movie tells a story about four teachers from the city each with some personality defects, came to a rural/desert place to run an elementary school. They started with selfless dreams to help educating the next generation in the rural area, but they have done something for their own interests and they have to cover up for it.
This is definitely one of the better Chinese films. Who ever is reading this, You're considered lucky to even know this film, since numerous of great Chinese films are missed out outside of China.
It's a tragedy that is facede'd with comedy that makes you think deep. The story reflects deeply on the worst parts of humanity, greed, lust, hate, corruption, social discrimination etc.
Although it is a play-like, comedy-ish movie, the story feels very real and there are deep meanings behind a lot of the shots. It's overall very well written and fine directed. The directors are considered new to movie and the film is sometimes too much like a play, which is probably the main critic I have for it. Definitely worth your time watching.
This is definitely one of the better Chinese films. Who ever is reading this, You're considered lucky to even know this film, since numerous of great Chinese films are missed out outside of China.
It's a tragedy that is facede'd with comedy that makes you think deep. The story reflects deeply on the worst parts of humanity, greed, lust, hate, corruption, social discrimination etc.
Although it is a play-like, comedy-ish movie, the story feels very real and there are deep meanings behind a lot of the shots. It's overall very well written and fine directed. The directors are considered new to movie and the film is sometimes too much like a play, which is probably the main critic I have for it. Definitely worth your time watching.
A tragedy that doesn't really go anywhere
holtom520 August 2018
The first thing to say is that this is a tragedy, first and foremost, with some comic elements.
Because it seems to be described in many places as a comedy movie, which, along with the whimsical movie poster, might give you this impression that this is a going to be a feel-good experience. But no; while it has some funny jokes, they basically finish up by the middle of the movie and the rest is just a succession of appalling things being said and done.
It's a morality tale; some relatively relateable characters start by telling white lies for the greater good but end up digging themselves into ever worsening problems.
And herein lies the main issue I have: you can have a comedy movie where everything goes wrong: a black comedy. But if there's no humor and you're making an outright tragedy, then you need some other elements to sustain such a story. Here, it feels like they make a point by the end of the first act, and then that point just gets repeated, more and more painfully, through the second and third acts with little entertainment value.
The 4 stars are because the acting is very good.
Because it seems to be described in many places as a comedy movie, which, along with the whimsical movie poster, might give you this impression that this is a going to be a feel-good experience. But no; while it has some funny jokes, they basically finish up by the middle of the movie and the rest is just a succession of appalling things being said and done.
It's a morality tale; some relatively relateable characters start by telling white lies for the greater good but end up digging themselves into ever worsening problems.
And herein lies the main issue I have: you can have a comedy movie where everything goes wrong: a black comedy. But if there's no humor and you're making an outright tragedy, then you need some other elements to sustain such a story. Here, it feels like they make a point by the end of the first act, and then that point just gets repeated, more and more painfully, through the second and third acts with little entertainment value.
The 4 stars are because the acting is very good.
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