Rent Not One Less (1999)
3.9 of 5 from 116 ratings
1h 42min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- In The Crushing Poverty of rural China, a young woman is ordered to a remote village to be their substitute teacher. Barely older than her students, the shy girl is charged with keeping the class intact for one month or she won't be paid. Faced with overwhelming family debt, her biggest little troublemaker disappears into the city to find work. The stubborn teacher, however, is determined to follow the boy and bring him back to school. Once in the city, her simple peasant pleas fall on deaf ears, and only when the local television station sympathizes does her search bear fruit.
- Actors:
- Minzhi Wei, Huike Zhang, Zhenda Tian, Enman Gao, Zhimei Sun, Yuying Feng, Fanfan Li, Yichang Zhang, Zhanqing Xu, Hanzhi Liu, Ma Guolin, Wu Wanlu, Liu Ru, Wang Shulan, Fu Xinmin, Mei Bai, Mingshan Zhang, Jiao Jie, Rong Huimin, Sun Zhiwei
- Directors:
- Yimou Zhang
- Writers:
- Xiangsheng Shi
- Others:
- Yimou Zhang
- Aka:
- Yi ge dou bu neng shao
- Studio:
- Columbia Tristar
- Genres:
- Drama
- Collections:
- 10 Films to Watch if You Like: Raise the Red Lantern, Award Winners, Back to School: Best Films Featuring Teachers, Films & TV by topic, Films to Watch If You Like..., Lions on the Lido, A Brief History of Film..., Top 10 Films By Year, Top 10 Films of 1999
- Countries:
- China
- Awards:
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Reviews (4) of Not One Less
Outstanding. - Not One Less review by CP Customer
An outstanding Chinese drama in which the entire cast is made up of amateurs playing characters which mirror their real life. The storyline is fantastic and kept me hooked from start to end. If you're a fan of foreign cinema then this should be high on your rental list.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Charming - Not One Less review by JD
Given that the average age of the actors in this film is 8 it is quite watchable. An uplifting film portraying poverty in a positive way with a very friendly atmosphere in the remote and impoverished village contrasting with a busy, more affluent and crowded but nonetheless lonely existence in the city.
1 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Extremely high quality acting from the young cast and direction from Zhang Yimou. - Not One Less review by Piehawker
Another excellent drama from Zhang Yimou who gets fantastic and natural performances from the children. The film is emotional and dramatic, whilst any sense of sentimentality. There is some stunning cinematography and although the film doesn't having a driving propulsive narrative, I found it captivating.
There is a harsh and authentic look at rural schooling, the rationing of the chalk and a 13 year old being put in charge as a substitute, and the film doesn't shy away from the poverty and hardships. However there is a warmth and defiance in the spirits of the characters (especially Wei as a girl forced to grow up quickly when thrust into the city) and the ending was moving and emotional without being excessive or mawkish.
I've not seen a Zhang Yimou directed film that hasn't had an extremely high standard of craft and quality, and this definitely one of his lighter warmer films than say Shanghai Triad or Raise the Red Lantern which are masterpieces, but quite heavy and tonally grim. This has a more fairytale magical feel (which being very grounded and down to earth) with Wei almost on a small scale but significant heroes journey. Highly recommended.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.