Platform

Finally, I finished it. I fucking hate the fact that it took me this many days to watch it and in so many breaks - ruined the movie for me in a way. However, this is fucking brilliant. I can't even go in-depth because I'm not that informed about Chinese history but Jia Zhangke does a fantastic job at creating a platform where the impact of change is not monumental rather indirect, shown over a period of something like twenty years? Taking place after the end of Cultural Revolution and the death of Mao, the film follows a theatre troupe - particularly four youths trapped between a transition of two eras. There's so much to unwrap here in this film I don't even know where I should begin. The change doesn't hit the unsuspecting youths of a poor town like a truck, but its more like an infestation, gradually taking hold. The movie showcases change gradual- from propaganda performances of the troupe to a rock-and-roll one, cultural songs becoming western pop remixes, emotional collapses, collectivism turning to individuality, and obviously communism vs capitalism. There is nothing dramatic - fights, moments of clarity, or anything like that. Jia uses the long runtime excellently in establishing a space and distance for the characters to resonate for us audience and create a sense of longing. There is a total of one close-up in the entire movie - only one. There are only long, uninterrupted shots of characters in the moment - waiting, eating or walking aimlessly - in the moment. Like I said its really hard to unpack all of the things and its one of those days when I have a mental block. Its a really great film and must watch. A really really grounded and great film.