Cyclo (1995)
Directed by Tran Anh Hung
Genres - Drama, Crime |
Sub-Genres - Crime Drama, Urban Drama, Coming-of-Age |
Release Date - Jan 1, 1995 (USA - Unknown) |
Run Time - 124 min. |
Countries - France, Hong Kong, Vietnam |
MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Mark Deming
A "cyclo" is a bicycle-drawn taxi similar to a rickshaw, and, in this story, the nickname of an 18-year-old boy trying to scrape together a living in the desperate poverty of Ho Chi Mihn City. Cyclo lives with his grandfather (Le Kinh Huy) and two sisters (Tran Nu Yen-Khe and Pham Ngoc Lieu), and drives his taxi for a bitter woman (Nhu Quynh Nguyen) who devotes most of her time to her mentally unstable son (Bjuhoang Huy). When the pedal-cab is stolen, Cyclo is forced into a life of crime to repay the debt and falls in with a group of petty thugs led by a self-styled poet (Tony Leung Chiu Wai). What Cyclo doesn't know at first is that the poet is also a pimp, and he's been using his romantic wiles to lure Cyclo's older sister into a career as a prostitute. Cyclo was directed by Tran Anh Hung, whose breakthrough film was the acclaimed drama The Scent of Green Papaya.
Characteristics
Moods
Themes
Keywords
criminal, drugs, gangster, pimp, poet, poverty, prostitute/prostitution, rickshaw, robbery, thug
Attributes
High Artistic Quality