A Simple Life -2011-2011 -

Year of Release: 2011 Director: Ann Hui Starring: Andy Lau, Deanie Ip

There are films that explode off the screen with special effects and grand gestures, and then there are films like . The latter doesn’t demand your attention; it gently asks for your heart. A Simple Life -2011-2011

I recently re-watched Ann Hui’s masterpiece from 2011, and I was reminded that the word “simple” in the title is a bit of a misnomer. The life portrayed here is simple in setting, but profoundly complex in emotion. Year of Release: 2011 Director: Ann Hui Starring:

5/5 tissues. Keep the box nearby, especially for the final scene at the cemetery. You have been warned. Have you seen A Simple Life ? Did it change how you view the elderly in your own life? Let me know in the comments. The life portrayed here is simple in setting,

That’s it. There is no villain, no car chase, no stolen diamond. There is only time, duty, and the quiet tragedy of aging. What strikes me most about A Simple Life is its courage to be still. In an era of fast cuts and constant noise, Ann Hui allows the camera to linger on Deanie Ip’s face. We watch Ah Tao peel a guava, walk slowly down a hallway, or simply sit in her chair.