DAM STREET: Grim Bleak But Compelling
Life in the post Mao era of the 1980s in China has the well deserved reputation of unrelieved grimness. DAM STREET is the visual affirmation of a culture that seems intent on punishing anyone who goes against the crowd. Director Yu Li uses stark images of a town located directly on a river that functions as a dam, literally holding back the potential energy of the swirling waters beyond and figuratively trapping the kinetic energy of the residents, all of whom are involved with avoiding being crushed by uncaring others or crushing those who cannot get out of the way fast enough. Sister Yun (Liu Yi) is a sixteen year old school girl who commits the unpardonable sin of getting pregnant by her boyfriend Wang Fen (Liu Rui). Their indiscretion is blared over the school's loudspeaker. Both are expelled. Wang Fen shows little gumption as he quickly accepts his disgrace and leaves town to become a carpenter's apprentice. Sister Yun has to face the hostility of the town totally alone...
A Bleak And Lovely Film That Loses Power By Pulling Away From Dramatics With Exposition
There is a really compelling story at the heart of "Dam Street." In some hands, the film could have been turned into a melodramatic weepie about sacrifice and mother love. But it's matter-of-fact tone keeps it relatively grounded in reality. While this is a strength, it also serves as somewhat of a weakness keeping the viewer aloof to the central characters. Every time some big dramatic act takes place, the film cuts away to a narration to explain what happens next instead of showcasing the actual aftermath. So the emotional payoff is consistently shortchanged as we never stay close enough to the action.
The film does boasts solid performances. When a sixteen year old student becomes pregnant, a moral code all but ostracizes her from acceptable society. Forced to give the child up, and later told it is dead, she unwittingly befriends a boy ten years later who may have closer connections than she is aware of. The lead character is appropriately conflicted throughout...
Love's Labor Lost in Sichuan
I have traveled to Sichuan China several times in the last few years, where this movie is set. Despite the outward progress of capitalism in a Communist country, the status of women has changed very little -- especially when a single woman's daughter becomes pregnant. In order to "protect" the daughter, the new born son is reported doa, but is secretly raised through the intervention of the daughter's mother. Interesting relationships develop over the years involving all three members of this broken family. There is heart-breaking opportunities to accept responsibility for the actions of mother and daughter, built around the son, but too many hardships and delusions get in the way. A powerful portrait of the shame and lost love between mother (the ever-beautiful Li Kechun, whose acting is superb) and daughter is uneasy, but worth the closing scene. High recommendation.
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