Synopsis
Overview
The Town by the River is a 2023 Chinese mainland crime mystery film directed by young filmmaker Wei Shujun. The film is adapted from the avant-garde novel of the same name by renowned Chinese author Yu Hua. It centers on a bizarre murder case in a small riverside town, following the investigation led by police captain Ma Zhe...
Overview
Only the River Flows is a 2023 Chinese mainland crime mystery film directed by young director Wei Shujun. The film is adapted from the avant-garde novel of the same name by renowned Chinese writer Yu Hua. Centering on a bizarre murder case in a small riverside town, the film delves into the ambiguity of truth, the absurdity of fate, and the individual's struggle between rational order and a maddening reality through the investigative perspective of police captain Ma Zhe. With its unique literary sensibility, austere audiovisual style, and profound grasp of the source material's spirit, the film sparked widespread discussion among audiences and critics regarding the narrative of art-house cinema and the expression of realism after its release. As of early 2024, the film holds a rating of 7.3 on the popular review site Douban, categorized under crime and mystery.
Plot
The story is set in a damp, gloomy southern town in the 1990s. A brutal murder by the river shatters the town's tranquility; the victim is an elderly local woman known as Granny Yaosi. Police captain Ma Zhe (played by Zhu Yilong) is assigned to investigate the case. As the investigation deepens, clues point to several seemingly improbable suspects: an eccentric photographer, a reticent factory worker, and a boy suspected of having mental abnormalities.
Ma Zhe attempts to piece together the truth of the case using logic and evidence, but each time he nears a conclusion, new surprises and contradictions emerge, further obscuring the facts. The investigative process gradually erodes Ma Zhe's originally steadfast rational world. He finds himself not only grappling with an elusive truth but also confronting a pervasive, inexplicable absurdity in the environment. The film does not provide a clear, definitive answer typical of traditional mystery films. Instead, it guides the audience to follow Ma Zhe into contemplation and confusion over the "errors" themselves—including errors in investigation, errors in judgment, and even the "errors" of fate—ultimately blurring the lines between reality and illusion, sanity and madness.
Cast
The following are the main actors and their corresponding roles in the film:
| Actor Name | Role Portrayed | Role Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Zhu Yilong | Ma Zhe | The police captain in charge of investigating the riverside murder. Rational and persistent, but gradually becomes confused and conflicted during the investigation. |
| Zeng Meihuizi | Bai Jie | Ma Zhe's wife, a teacher. Her presence represents a touch of warmth and connection in Ma Zhe's oppressive life. |
| Hou Tianlai | Chief of Police | The head of the Public Security Bureau, Ma Zhe's superior, representing the order and pressure within the system. |
| Tong Linkai | The Madman | A key figure in the case, with unpredictable behavior, playing a crucial role in stirring the plot. |
| Liu Baisha | Granny Yaosi | The victim of the murder, an elderly woman living alone by the river. |
| Zhou You | Wang Hong | A photographer connected to the case, with a somewhat peculiar personality. |
| Yan Hexiang | Xu Liang | Another individual connected to the case, introverted and silent. |
| Yu Hua | (Cameo) | The original author Yu Hua makes a cameo appearance in a minor role. |
Cultural Impact
The release of Only the River Flows had multiple impacts on the Chinese film industry and cultural sphere. Firstly, it once again demonstrated the potential for deep integration between literature and film. Yu Hua's avant-garde literary works are known for their stark tone and profound philosophical contemplation. Director Wei Shujun successfully translated this literary quality into cinematic language, using visual ambiguity and negative space to convey the absurdity and polysemy of the text, providing a new model for literary adaptation in film.
Secondly, the film challenged the narrative conventions of mainstream commercial mystery films. It did not pursue strong plot twists or a satisfying puzzle-solving process. Instead, it deliberately maintained a sense of narrative tedium and uncertainty, forcing the audience to shift from "finding the culprit" to "experiencing a state." This anti-genre attempt sparked discussions about the relationship between "art-house cinema" and "audience reception," while also broadening the expressive boundaries of domestic crime and mystery films.
Finally, lead actor Zhu Yilong subverted his previous image by portraying a complex, nearly broken police captain. His performance received recognition within the industry, showcasing his versatility as an actor. The film's premiere in the "Un Certain Regard" section of the Cannes Film Festival also garnered international attention, establishing it as a significant artistic representative of Chinese cinema on the global stage in 2023.
References
- Douban Movie - Only the River Flows Main Page (includes rating, synopsis, cast and crew information)
https://movie.douban.com/subject/35231382/ - Mtime - Only the River Flows Film Information and News
https://www.mtime.com/movie/342325/details.html - Xinhua Net - Report on the film Only the River Flows appearing at the Cannes Film Festival
http://www.news.cn/ent/2023-05/22/c_1129634563.htm
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