
11-year-old Wang lives with his family in a remote village in China. Life is tough, but they make the most of what little they have. When Wang is selected to lead his school's daily gymnastics, his teacher recommends that he wear a new shirt, which forces his family to make a great sacrifice. Soon after, Wang encounters a wounded man on the run and their fates are intertwined.... (Full plot summary below)
Enjoy FREE movies and series with your Prime (USA) subscription or when you start a 30-day free trial!
Links compiled using automated software. Availability of offers subject to change / might be region specific / out of date.
Sorry, we can't find any suggestions at the moment.
11-year-old Wang lives with his family in a remote village in China. Life is tough, but they make the most of what little they have. When Wang is selected to lead his school's daily gymnastics, his teacher recommends that he wear a new shirt, which forces his family to make a great sacrifice. Soon after, Wang encounters a wounded man on the run and their fates are intertwined.
Leave your thoughts about 11 Flowers.
| AwardsCircuit.comClayton DavisA classy, poignant tale that resonates loudly and enchants the most tender parts of the human soul. |
| rec.arts.movies.reviewsLouis ProyectThis brilliant coming-of-age story should demonstrate that Americans should be hacking Chinese computers to steal intellectual property and not the other way around--especially Hollywood. |
| Village VoiceAaron HillisMore sensitive than disaffected, too gentle to resonate more than mildly. |
| VarietyJustin ChangAn absorbing coming-of-age drama set during the waning stage of China's Cultural Revolution, 11 Flowers takes its place among Wang Xiaoshuai's finest films. |
| Times-PicayuneMike ScottEnds up being foreign but familiar, artful and honest, as well as beautiful and believable. |
| New York PostFarran Smith Nehme11 Flowers boils down to a coming-of-age tale merged with a why-dunit — not unlike “To Kill a Mockingbird” — but the plot is molasses-slow, as threads are dropped, picked up and dropped again. |
| New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisDelicate and autobiographical (Wang Han was the director’s name when he was a child, and the story is constructed from his boyhood memories), 11 Flowers clings steadfastly to its youthful point of view. |
| User ReviewNiloo Ra very engaging film - the world was foolproof and so fascinating to watch! and it was wonderful to see the similarities and differences between their world and my own. the script was well-written and the film felt very real. every action, every character, every event was well-earned. there were some moments that i found confusing, but i think it may have been because of the language barrier and a few subtitles i missed. i think it'll make more sense upon multiple viewings. overall it was a simple story that was well-explored and well done. |
| User ReviewVincent LOn the way to work in a neighboring town, Wang(Wang Jinchun), an actor, gives his 11-year old son, Han(Liu Wenquing), a ride part of the way on his bicycle to his school where he has just been appointed to lead morning gymnastics and Jue Hong(Mo Shiyi), an older student, has been called to the principal's office. The only thing is that Mrs. Zhao feels Han needs a new shirt which his mother(Yen Ni), now in charge of the household and a factory worker, says they cannot afford, wanting to save the ration coupons and the money for the New Year celebration, even over her son's epic sulking. But once she talks to the teacher and sees him in action, she changes her mind. As endearing as "11 Flowers" can be with an ending that is definitely a punch to the gut, I was wondering when watching this if I was actually watching a movie about a shirt. To be honest, I have seen movies that have succeeded on less but set as this is at the tail end of the Cultural Revolution, it does need more in its rambling narrative, as otherwise it just feels like these momentous events happened to everybody else. So while the most important events happen offscreen, including stranding an intriguing mystery, telling the story exclusively from Han's point of view does work really well in a couple of places where it takes a couple of seconds to ascertain what exactly is happening. |