PodBill Just what I expected

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Sarita Rafferty There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

MartinHafer This is an interesting tale that is shown almost documentary style. The film begins with a blended family living with China. The husband and wife don't get along all that well and some of this contention is because they both have teenage daughters from a previous marriage. The daughters also don't particularly like each other and the "good" one actually is pretty cruel for making it look like her step-sister is a thief. However, when the step-sister attacks and accidentally kills her, the story takes a dramatic twist.The film changes to 17 years later. Here we see that the surviving sister is a model inmate in a prison that seems much more like an indoctrination center. I found this pretty fascinating. While this sort of program could easily be used for evil (such as political prisoners), such strong and consistent messages and classes on "correct" thinking and behavior do offer an alternative to the traditional Western-style prisons--that often have inmates leave worse off than when they entered them. In this case, the girl did deserve to be punished but she was also rehabilitatable--mostly because she truly was sorry for what she had done in a moment of anger at age 16.Because she is so committed to change, she and several other model prisoners are given holiday furloughs. However, given her past, it's obvious she is concerned her mother and step-father don't want her to return. What happens next is slow to unfold but very satisfying, as a worker from the prison helps the lady to find her parents (they'd moved) and renew their relationship--if it is still possible.

zzmale I would not want to waste time here on plots and other comments about the story, which you can find by looking at other posts. What I want to point out here is that the Chinese title is as equally philosophical as the English one:17 years implies the 17 years of totalitarianism, after which humane side is finally appearing. The Chinese title has the literal translation as Going home on New Years, and it needs more explanation:In the Chinese tradition, the new year is the time when all family members get together, reflection on the story of the protagonist being released from jail to go home to unite with his parents.

revolutioner Loved everything about it. You immediately identify with the family, then the two characters that become the focal point in the film. Beautifully shot, it becomes a road picture of sorts, a fascinating study of time and how things change along with it. It's one of those rare films that stays with you for a long, long, time. This is one of many foreign films that plays the festival circuit but doesn't get a general release in the U.S. I saw it in 1999 and thought that I'd have to be satisfied with the memory. There would never be another opportunity to see it again, but amazingly, after six years, it was actually released on DVD!! On a rainy day, pop this one into the VCR/DVD and just enjoy a very special story in a wonderful little film.

Guy33134 While working within the system, Yuan Zhang's (or is it Zhang Yuan?)latest film 17 YEARS gives the Chinese totalitarian system a human face. The title, referring to 17 YEARS of separation, also refers to an important year (age) in two of the main characters' lives. It is Zhang Yuan's best work to date, and quite possibly the most realistic, impartial portrayal of China's totalitarian system in recent years. I highly recommend it.