Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews

Sexyloutak Absolutely the worst movie.

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Eric Mejia Yimou Zhang can be best remembered for his critically acclaimed and visually poignant films like "Hero" and "Curse of the Golden Flower," but once he stepped into the realm of drama, he went with no doubt into great new territories. "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles" is more of a personal film for Zhang about a father seeking the forgiveness of his dying son. Beginning in Japan, Tataka, an elderly father, comes to visit the bedside of his dying son who has estranged him for quite some time. It is vaguely believed that the son has withheld speaking to him for years, and in part to Tataka leaving his wife. What he discovers is a deathly ill son, (who is never shown) forbidding himself to see his father before death. But in order to regain his son back, Tataka goes on an extraordinary journey to film the last portion of a video he never got to film, the dance sequence from the Chinese folk dance, "Riding alone for thousands of miles." Tataka's journey sends him into a foreign culture, still in the aisle of his well known Asia, into the heart of China where he hires an interpreter to exchange words with some of the people he meets. Although a language barrier exists, those who come to meet him in China, know his sorry and regret for his son, and can't help but to feel compassion for a man who tries to accomplish the mission of fulfilling his son's final wish. What gives Zhang a great kick is to see how he manages to direct a cast of unknowns and unprofessional actors. This is the kind of film that manages to take you into one direction, and spin you into a complete different ending where the realization comes that the journey wasn't to find what was originally intended. It has the doppelganger effect in that it focuses on the quest for one thing, and expels you into a self-discovery about the precious meaning of life and the worth to take better care of it, in a life of forgiveness and ultimate redemption.

inigovik Too much emotions and pain in a single person, a story that gives a lesson of life. Takata is extremely herd by his wife's death that he plunges into loneliness and no-contact with his son Kenichi who is dying of cancer at a hospital, refusing to see his father. A journey that helps Takata rediscover the value of family through the grace of Yang Yang, a kid whose father is imprisoned for an ironic act of defense. The movie is all about self analysis and forgiveness; Takata stops been emotionless after he was told about Kenichi's death, but specially after having experienced the cultural values of a foreign country. The narrative is the only fact I felt a bit ambiguous; however, the real language that must be spoken in this film is the language of feelings and expressions.

ckcaswell1 Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles. It makes you laugh with cute jokes and jabs, and it makes you cry with heart breaking realities. Ken Takakura says little in the movie, but you can tell every thought that goes through his mind as he goes along his journey of atonement for his son. The simple task that he goes to perform turns into a long drawn out journey that eventually leads to him finding peace with his past wrongdoings and learning more about his son's life, which had formally been a distant, almost nonexistent relationship. We see the determination and patience that this man goes through to achieve his goal, even when it is apparent that his task is near impossible and inconvenient to achieve. Yimou Zhang fills the screen with the beautiful landscapes of China and uses everything in the scene to his advantage. The casting of the villagers and the little boy was done perfectly as well. I found myself falling in love with the little boy, even through his stubbornness and young determination. This movie is a great experience to enjoy for everyone and will make you redefine your close relationships and will make you want to equate your life accordingly.

sas_sgu Of all the international films that I have had the opportunity to view thus far, this one has had the most reflective components. Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles shows us the importance love, maintaining good relationships with both family and friends and the concept of time.The story is simplistically executed but powerful nonetheless. Zhang Yimou has carefully crafted a stunning film portraying the differences between the Japanese and the Chinese culture. The use of cinematic mechanisms also contributes to the dramatic nature of the film.This film will leave you with lifetime lessons about life and its core principles. There are no magical or exaggerated computer representations but simple, pure and effective shots that leave striking images in your mind.