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Film Review
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers
Wayne Wang's latest film, A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, returns to the style of his early films, like Dim Sum. Here he tells the story of a father from Beijing, visiting his daughter in Spokane for the first time. They haven't seen each other in 12 years, and during that time, she has gotten divorced, and is now living alone in a dreary modern complex in the suburbs. Yilan, the daughter, although considerate, is alienated from her father because he was an absent father, working long hours as a rocket scientist, as she was growing up. Henry O plays the father, who spends hours in her apartment looking out, meets some of the residents in often funny encounters in which his poor English doesn't seem to be a great impediment. He goes to the local park and meets an Iranian widow, who sit on a bench overlooking a pond, and communicate. More by gesture than actual words, as her English is not very good either. These are very sweet scenes. The father attempts to express his love for his daughter by cooking multi dish dinners, but she complains that he makes too much food, and he urges her to eat more. He correctly senses that she is unhappy with her life, and gives her unwanted advice. The story unfolds, and each one's secret is revealed.
Wang has produced a small gem of a film, modest, with a close, sensitive look at the immigrant experience in America, loneliness, and a father daughter relationship that was damaged by the past. Nothing spectacular happens, but it is nevertheless a lovely, never boring film. Clearly, Wang knows and loves his subject. I hope this very talented film maker has more films like this in him. Just opened at the Clay.
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