‘The Breaking Ice Review: Three Young Chinese Adults In Limbo Connect In Anthony Chens Poignant Gen Z Drama
The unusual screenplay of Singaporean writer-director Anthony Chen's latest film , Breaking the Ice ( Ran Dong ), quietly but eloquently underscores the plight of its young protagonists, each seemingly trapped, instead frozen in their own lives. The city of Yanji in northeastern China has vast, beautiful snow expanses and a large Korean community that proudly maintains its cultural identity in the shadow of the North Korean border. It's the setting that increases the alienation of the three strangers in the story, and makes their relationship in the cold that surrounds it more immediate and urgent.
After his debut in English Drift , about an African refugee crippled by injuries, Chen returned to the softer observational and understated intimacy of his excellent domestic drama Ilo Ilo , which won the Camera d'Or for Best Debut. Cannes. a decade ago
break the ice
Conclusion A good character study with a light tone.
The characters in the new film - a 20-year-old woman and two men, played mostly by three charming actors and consummate naturalists - suffer from pain, frustration, and anxiety that are rarely expressed in words, but are revealed through many moments of introspection. they hide..
Chen cites his love for Jules and Jim as structural inspiration, but here it degenerates into a frantic relationship that lasts for several tense days. This is no ordinary romantic triangle, but rather an impressionistic portrait of Generation Z; His reflections on disillusionment and stagnation will resonate with young audiences, regardless of their cultural background.
The centerpiece of the three is Nana (Zhou Dongyu), who moved to Yanji to give the house a smash hit and now works as a driver, taking Chinese guests around town so they can experience authentic Korean traditions. One of the stops on the tour is the restaurant where Xiao (Qu Chuxiao) works. Nana has an intimate and close relationship with the slacker, who moved here from Sichuan to support her aunt and her Korean husband, a business owner.
The third element is Haofeng (Liu Haoran), who works in finance in Shanghai and is at Yanji for his former classmate's wedding. Keeping in touch with old friends, he reluctantly joins in the celebrations. He has clear signs of depression and may be suicidal, as evidenced by the phone calls he has avoided from the mental health counseling center.
When Haofeng goes on a bus tour, he is attracted to Nana, who stayed at home until she lost her cell phone and lent him some money. Later, Nana invites Haofeng to have dinner with her and Xiao, and after the drunken night is over, the three return to his apartment, a privilege his girlfriend almost never allows.
This is an animated meeting scene in which cameraman Yu Jing-Ping zooms in on the three characters' faces to explore their loneliness, while Xiao picks up a guitar and sings a sweet, melancholic love song with an emotional rawness rarely seen in Chinese. film
When Haofeng misses his flight to Shanghai, Nana and Xiao convince him to stay for a few days. Throughout most of Breaking Ice, Chen observes the subtle changes in the dynamic between the three over the years. Haofeng carefully comes out of his shell and sleeps with Nana, who shares his broken dreams. Xiao realized what had happened, but accepted it without drama, maintaining his place in the triangle and swallowing the pain he felt. Even the gender between Nana and Haofeng didn't change much.
There are poignant scenes where the story doesn't advance so much as it deepens our knowledge of the characters, both as passionate individuals and as collective units formed by chance rather than design. They cross the North Korean border fence, visit a zoo, try to rob a bookstore, get lost in the tall corridors of a frozen maze.
The subtle beats of a montage of Wishing Chen and Su Moon Thee and a sparkling line from Singaporean musician Kin Leonn's score make this loose, flowing episode especially enjoyable, even if they subtly hint that none of the three friends are actually involved. Strange countries, foreign in many ways.
In a scenic final act, they embark on a trek through the Changbaishan Mountains to see the Heavenly Lake, a unique body of water in a volcanic crater on the China-North Korea border. Chen sets the tone for catharsis as the deteriorating weather conditions affect their trip. But instead, the film delves into folklore, with art and even a dash of magical realism touching all three in depth.
Exciting but never sentimental, Breaking the Ice has a brief narrative simplicity that is reflected in the filmmaking style and balanced well by the subtle complexity of the relationships. The final note of hope and renewal is beautiful.
