When talking about "Flowers", there are always people arguing about whether to be realistic or whether to restore the original work. This kind of discussion seems to go on and on, but we can look at it from a different angle. After all, Wong Kar-wai has never been a director known for his realism, and his works have always been biased towards literary films, and this "Flowers" is no exception.
Aside from the original book, the film presents an imaginary picture of Shanghai's first batch of business, foreign trade and industrial prosperity, as if it was an era of "savage growth" and burning passion. Word of mouth has reversed overnight, transforming from "the flowers of the small era" to "the golden signboard of the first Chinese director".
As a Shanghainese film set in Shanghai, Wong Kar-wai invited a number of local Shanghai actors to participate, including starring Hu Ge, Tang Yan, Ma Yili, etc. The character of Ah Bao was full of vigor when he was young, and he aspired to start a business in Shanghai, and after experiencing the ups and downs of **, he became more thoughtful and restrained many of his original impulses.
Whether Hu Ge's acting skills have improved, the audience can draw conclusions in the film. And Tang Yan brought surprises to people, her role as Miss Wang was full of charm and momentum, and her authentic Shanghainese interpretation added a unique charm. Ma Yili plays a little woman in Shanghai in the film, and instantly switches to the proprietress of Tokyo at night, showing her versatile acting skills.
Xin Zhilei, a non-Shanghainese actor (from Northeast China), also left a deep impression on the audience as a Qingdao native in the film. Her smile is bright and enchanting, showing an atmospheric and flamboyant atmosphere. When the domestic entertainment circle began to advocate white and thin, Wong Kar-wai had a soft spot for mature women. The pungent and likable image of Merrill Lynch played by Fan Xiangyan in the film seems to make people see the shadow of the charter wife in "Kung Fu" in her.
In addition to Fan Xiangyan, Shanghai local actors Zheng Kai, Chen Long, Wu Yue, Chen Guoqing, Wang Ju, Shao Feng and others also joined the performance. It was revealed that 80% of the Shanghai actors participated. In "Flowers", the scene of the "Yellow River Road Competition" besieging Guangming Ding by six major factions is magnificent, and Wong Kar-wai is really an excellent director.
At present, the related search index of "Flowers" has soared, and Hu Ge, Ma Yili, and Tang Yan are at the top of the hot search list. And director Wong Kar-wai and actor Yau Benchang have also attracted much attention. The 90-year-old You Benchang's role as "uncle" has become the focus of attention. He is still the most eye-catching presence among many actors, and he plays the role of "grandson" to the fullest. In fact, the role of Uncle Grandma does not exist in the original book, but is the original of Wong Kar-wai, he is Bao's nobleman and Bao's confidant. Although Uncle didn't have many roles in the play, he successfully helped Po complete the first step of "transformation" with two tailors, a pair of scissors, and decades of entrepreneurial essence.
When You Benchang saw that the person in front of him had "changed", his eyes became complicated, as if he was reminiscing about the past. In You Benchang's eyes, the audience has already experienced a small story: "When he saw that person, he seemed to see his young self, at that time, he was chic and upright, and he stood in the most exclusive private room of the Peace Hotel, as if he wanted to trample the whole world under his feet." And the person in front of him smiled crookedly, revealing a trace of cowardice, childishness and publicity, overflowing with words, Uncle Cousin closed his eyes and sighed, as if he had returned to his youthful days. "As soon as the eyes are closed and the eyes are opened, the whole person's life seems to be replaying quickly in the mind. Many people didn't expect that You Benchang, who played the role of his uncle, turned out to be the "Jigong" of the year. Time flies, the years change, his appearance seems to have changed little, he still maintains his spirits, his eyes are bright.
Different from Jigong back then, You Benchang is now more stable. Jigong's uninhibited and free state is now just right. After "Jigong" became a hit, You Benchang did not take on a large number of dramas like other actors, and maintained the pace of a new work for a few years. He played Tai Bai Xing in "Baolian Lantern" and Lao Li Xianji in "The Adventures of Li Xianji". Such a solid acting choice is impressive. Many actors may be trapped in a specific acting style and difficult to break through in their long-term acting career, but You Benchang shows unusual flexibility, he can interpret the role of fairy spirit, and he can also create the simple image of the neighbor in his bones. He once said with deep feeling: "Conveying emotions through culture is the mission of our generation of actors. He affectionately presented this sentence to the younger generation of Yang Zi.
Looking back on his performance in "Youth Song Xing", the image of the carefree master is simply more vivid than the original animation. His performance perfectly presents the ideal image of the monk in people's hearts, full of love and wisdom. An excellent actor can support the overall quality of a work, You Benchang is such an excellent actor, and his addition undoubtedly adds more highlights and expectations to "Flowers".