I love you! is not only a film about love in the twilight of life, but also a film that deeply explores the philosophy of life, love and time through delicate emotions and clever narrative techniques. Directed by Han Yan, starring Ni Dahong and Hui Yinghong, with special appearances by Liang Jiahui and Ye Tong, this film has become a screen masterpiece that cannot be ignored.
In the movie, two pairs of old people, Chang Weijie and Li Huiru, played by Ni Dahong and Hui Yinghong, are the focus of the film. But what is impressive is that the film cleverly presents the deep and complex emotional world behind their love through metaphors with three animals – a bird, an elephant and a snail.
First of all, for the depiction of birds, the film shows us a world trapped in a cage. The free-flying bird in Qiu Meiling's house has become a symbol of the inseparable but unrealizable love between her and Chen Xiaozheng. In those days, the pressures of worldly ideas and reality prevented them from coming together, like caged birds, longing for the freedom to fly. And the moment when Chang Weiwei released the birds, it not only symbolized that he and Li Huiru broke free from the shackles of time, but also symbolized the memories and pursuit of youth and love for all the elderly.
The elephant is another important metaphor that appears in the story of the old man Xie Dingshan and Zhao Huanxin. Xie Dingshan heard the legend of the elephant's return to the "elephant mound", which became an allegory of their love fate. At the end of their lives, elephants choose to silently walk deep into the forest to say goodbye to the world. This seems to foreshadow the future of Xie Dingshan and Zhao Huanxin, when Zhao Huanxin suffered from illness, Xie Dingshan chose to leave with her, ending their love in a dignified and peaceful way.
The metaphor of the snail is more subtle and complex. Several snail shots in the movie seem to hint at the slow, hesitant but firm attitude of the old people to life. Their life experiences and emotional worlds are like snails, moving slowly, but always moving forward firmly. Their lives may have reached their twilight years, but their persistent pursuit of love and life has never changed.
In addition to the clever use of animal metaphors, the portrayal of characters in the film is also extremely successful. Especially the role of Chang Weijie, he is an atypical old man who keeps up with the trend of the times, has a young mentality, and treats people warmly. His appearance broke the audience's inherent perception of the twilight crowd, and his pursuit and persistence in love undoubtedly brought great shock to all the audience.
It is also worth mentioning that the film does not choose to be too sensational or bloody when presenting the love stories of the elderly, but shows their lives in an extremely real and ordinary way. This way of dealing with it makes it easier for the audience to resonate and more deeply experience their inner emotional world.
The film also injects a lot of common love tricks in youth love stories, but it is expressed romantically but not vulgarly, sweet but not greasy. This approach makes this film about love in the twilight years more interesting and easier to attract the attention of young audiences.
Overall, I Love You! not only presents us with the twilight love of two pairs of old people, but also shows us a philosophical and deep emotional world. The animal metaphors, characterization, and storytelling are excellent, making this film a must-see. For viewers who like to delve into the philosophies of humanity, love, and time, I Love You! is undoubtedly a movie worth watching again and again.