Synopsis
"The Long Night" is adapted from Zijin Chen's novel "The Long Night," directed by Yifu Chen and starring Fan Liao, Yu Bai, Zhuo Tan, and Li Ning. It tells the story of young prosecutor Jiang Yang, who goes to great lengths, even at the cost of his freedom and life, to uncover the truth behind a long-unsolved case. Three intertwined timelines drive the narrative forward, depicting the touching journey of a group of ordinary people pursuing justice over a decade. The series has a Douban rating of 9.0, with over a million reviews.
Overview
"The Long Night" is a 2020 suspense crime drama produced by iQiyi, adapted from Zijin Chen's novel "The Long Night", directed by Chen Yifu and written by Liu Guoqing. It stars Liao Fan and Bai Yu in leading roles, with powerful performances from Tan Zhuo, Ning Li, Huang Yao, Zhao Yang, Tian Xiaojie, and others. The entire series consists of 12 episodes, boasting a Douban rating of 9.0 with over 1.04 million participants in the evaluation. It is the highest-rated mainland Chinese drama on Douban in 2020 and a benchmark work for domestic suspense dramas in the past five years.
This drama, along with "The Bad Kids" which is also adapted from a Zijin Chen novel, are hailed as the twin masterpieces of 2020 domestic suspense dramas, yet their styles are completely different. If "The Bad Kids" wins with its horror, then "The Long Night" moves audiences with its profound tragic power and persistent questioning of justice. The original author Zijin Chen admitted to being moved to tears multiple times, believing the adaptation far exceeded his imagination.
Plot
The story begins with a shocking incident at a subway station. A shabbily dressed man carrying a heavy suitcase enters the station, arousing the suspicion of security personnel. After a chase, the man claims there is a bomb in the suitcase, causing panic throughout the station. However, when the police open the suitcase, they find the body of a man inside.
This man is named Jiang Yang (played by Bai Yu), once a promising young prosecutor. The case is assigned to criminal investigator Yan Liang (played by Liao Fan). As the investigation deepens, Yan Liang discovers that behind this seemingly absurd incident lies a shocking secret spanning a decade.
The story progresses through three intertwined timelines. The first timeline is in 2000, when teacher Hou Guiping discovers a crime involving local powerful figures in a remote mountainous area, but meets with misfortune as a result. The second timeline is in 2003, when young prosecutor Jiang Yang is tasked with investigating Hou Guiping's case but encounters numerous obstacles in his pursuit of the truth, ultimately being framed and imprisoned. The third timeline is the present, where a group of people intricately connected to the case use an extreme method to bring the truth to light.
Everyone involved pays a tremendous price. Jiang Yang transforms from a spirited prosecutor into a terminally ill prisoner who has lost his family, yet he never gives up his search for the truth. This is a story about justice, sacrifice, and perseverance, and a profound tribute to the spirit of the rule of law and the brilliance of human nature.
Cast
| Actor | Role | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Liao Fan | Yan Liang | Criminal investigator, responsible for investigating the subway station case |
| Bai Yu | Jiang Yang | Young prosecutor, sacrifices everything for the truth |
| Tan Zhuo | Li Jing | Jiang Yang's wife |
| Ning Li | Zhang Chao | Key figure |
| Huang Yao | — | Important role |
| Zhao Yang | Zhu Wei | Police officer connected to the case |
| Tian Xiaojie | — | Important role |
Cultural Impact
After its broadcast, "The Long Night" sparked widespread discussions on social platforms about justice, the rule of law, and the spirit of sacrifice. The character Jiang Yang became one of the most compelling screen images of the year, and Bai Yu's performance received widespread recognition from both the industry and audiences. The portrayal of the prosecutor in the drama broke away from the stereotypical positive narratives often seen in mainstream works, presenting an ordinary legal worker with flesh and blood, struggling between reality and ideals.
The success of this drama further established Zijin Chen's status as a top-tier Chinese suspense novelist. Following "The Bad Kids," another one of his works was successfully adapted into a phenomenal series, causing the original novel "The Long Night" to reappear on major bestseller lists.
References
- Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/33447642/
- Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/沉默的真相
- Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/沉默的真相
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