It's been a long time since I've watched a film that deeply affected me in a disturbing way. This movie is a love story between a husband and wife driven apart because of the circumstances beyond their control. It also touches on families torn apart because of the policies in place during Mao's communist rule. While the movie focused on one family, it's easy to envision similar hardships befallen on other families during that time.The movie focuses on the family dynamic as a result of the fallout of Mao's policies. What made this movie was Gong Li's superb performance. It's been a while since I've seen her act in movies and I was awe struck by her acting in this film. Her portrayal of a woman who forever waits for her beloved husband's return moved me to tears. The dialogue is minimal in this movies. Instead, the actors convey the sense of loneliness and love between the two people with body language. Gong Li executes this exceedingly well. So much so that I couldn't stop thinking of her character's forlong looks days after watching the movie!Other reviewers have criticized the director for taking just the last few chapters of the book to turn into a movie. However, I think his focus for this movie was on the fallout rising from Mao's policies, hence only the passing allusion to the Cultural Revolution and the title 'Coming Home'.I personally thought this movie was Gong Li and Zhang Yimou combo's finest collaboration (just barely edging out To Live).

This is a very interesting idea for a film and actually criticizes, indirectly, recent Chinese history. Both made me excited to see the film...yet, sadly, I found the film incredibly flat....well acted but flat and lifeless.The film begins during the so-called 'Cultural Revolution' in mainland China. It was a period in Communist Chinese history when Mao set off a period where supposed remnants of decadence and capitalism were purged. What actually happened is that intellectuals, professors and others were violently beaten, killed or imprisoned by student groups. Nothing much came of this movement (my opinion, of course, but one supported by most historians) and it mostly just made a lot of folks miserable. During this time, Lu is arrested for his decadence though exactly what he supposedly did is never mentioned in the film. Instead, he simply disappears and he finally returns home many, many years later. However, he's shocked to see that his wife's mind has snapped and Feng no longer recognizes him...and even calls out for help when he enters the home! All the while she keeps insisting throughout the film that 'Yu will be coming home on the 5th'...though in her mind the 5th never arrives.So the setup for this is very interesting as is Yu's attempt to get his wife to recognize him. However, ultimately the film goes no where and is just depressing and tedious. The pacing is THE problem with the film, though the downbeat ending didn't help. Too bad, as the concept and the acting are quite good.

Coming Home is a great example of the way in which a movie can move you, play on your emotions, without being sentimental in a negative sense. Without being a tear-jerker. And without harsh images of struggle and war. But with excellent acting, small gestures and not so much words. This movie is all about empathy, first among the characters in the story depicted, but by consequence also among the audience, that is swept away and taken in by the sentiment.This doesn't mean that the story is only about love and compassion. The Cultural Revolution in China (1966-1976) was far from being peaceful and compassionate. People were separated for years without any information, were forced to report any 'wrong' behavior that could 'harm' or 'threaten' the Communist Party. Coming Home shows how such an environment affects people at the individual, family level. People get damaged and family relations are shattered because of betrayal.Coming Home succeeds in portraying the consequences of such a regime, by showing what humanity and compassion mean. And that is what makes it special, and refreshing in a world where it sometimes feels like these values are hard to find.

Zhang yimou done it again. And Gong Li is more than ever - one of her best roles...i'm always hoping that she does more movies. And when Yimou and Gong Li work together it always comes an amazing movie. I wish they could go on professionaly together."Coming Home": It is a simple story, yet with powerful meanings. Everything is beautiful: the performances, the direction, the photography, the music... And that piano scene... Achingly. Every yimou's movies has such sensibility. He really knows how to touch.Thank you Gong Li and Zhang Yimou.An applause too for the male actor and the girl who played the daughter - hope she will get a great career.