AllMovie

Springtime in a Small Town is an exquisitely crafted romantic drama. Director Tian Zhuangzhuang (Horse Thief) has created a sublimely beautiful portrait of a disintegrating arranged marriage. Director of photography Mark Lee Ping-bing, who has done stunning work for Wong Kar-wai (In the Mood for Love) and Hou Hsiao-hsien (The Puppet Master) keeps his camera gliding smoothly through one elegantly composed long take after another, while the production and costume design of Tim Yip Kam-tim (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) perfectly captures the period, and the environs of a wealthy country estate in decline. Tian's cast of relative unknowns deliver strong but understated performances, with Wu Jun, as the sickly landowner, Liyan, particularly affecting. The filmmaker introduces the simple plot slowly, shooting the action in rather long shots through windowpanes and screens, keeping the audience at a respectful distance, creating a sense that we're eavesdropping on these lives. The film lugubriously builds an emotional power, bringing the characters closer together, and climaxing as one character smashes a window in desperation of reaching another. Once one gives oneself over to the film's restrained storytelling and leisurely pace, the film casts a powerful spell. Filmmaker Tian Zhuangzhuang triumphantly returns to narrative filmmaking with a visually masterful work of quiet power.