Shower (Xizao) is the humourous story of a father and his two sons. Abandoned by Da Ming (Pu Cun Xin), his eldest son who left in search of fortune, the father, Liu (Zhu Xu), remains in Beijing raising his retarded son, Er Ming (Jiang Wu), and clinging to his chosen profession as the master of a bath-house. Mistakenly believing that his father has passed away, the eldest son returns to Beijing to discover the magic of the bath-house and its importance to the surrounding community.
Special Agent Matti
Rainman.
Well, almost. Successful businessman uncomfortably returns home to spazz brother & ends up loving & looking after him. Everything else about the films is different but once you have the same basic plot (successful businessman uncomfortably returns home to spazz brother) there are only a few ways you can go: loves & leaves, loves & stays or loves & takes. That's where the comparison ends: Rainman went straight to the last option, Shower (Xizao) has a go at all three.
What's more, it succeeds.
Shower (Xizao) is a Chinese look at a Chinese situation. It lets you into the lives of these men and those around them. It cuts no corners in presenting the impolite side of existence in a culture which strives to maintain the façade of politeness. Beyond that, it's a human look at a human situation. Fathers and sons at odds. Fathers seeking family and sons seeking freedom. The trans-generational alteration of values and ideals. It's a bit like take-away food: it comes in all varieties, but this one is definitely Chinese.
But wait, there's more. Shower (Xizao), like The road home, is also a love story of incredible poignancy. Liu's departed wife came from a Chinese background so foreign it is almost incomprehensible to Da as well as you. A life where water is so scarce that it has more value than gold. A language where there are no words for lake or sea or river or rain. A place where a bride must bathe in fresh water on the night before her betrothal...
Shower (Xizao) is not a great film nor is it a grand film, but it is a film that you will remember for the rest of your life.
M (Adult themes, low level coarse language)
91 minutes (1:31 hours)
Film: 7 March 2001
