From the beginning to the end, the film shows the close relationship between mankind and nature. Water, the mother of all things in the world, without it, everything ceases to exist. Especially farmers, crops and animal husbandry, need a lot of water. And just on this question of water, a kind of morbid humanity burst out. In order to grow flowers and make money, the farmer and nephew tried their best to get the home of Luo Guo, because they knew that there was a spring hidden there, which would bring vitality and grow flowers in exchange for a lot of money. They secretly blocked the spring to cut off the vitality of Luo Guo. The Luo Guo family, who was kept in the dark, went back and forth on the exhausting road back and forth every day. Crops and rabbits died one after another. Therefore, they lived a life of making ends meet and relying on pawns to survive. Luo Guo has the spirit of love of life and optimism, but in order to dig a well, he died under the flying rocks of the explosion. In this way, the farmer and nephew killed Luo Guo indirectly, and then the rabbit and fox sadly bought the home of Luo Guo. They dug open the spring happily, kissed and hugged each other to celebrate the ultimate goal. Unexpectedly, Luo Guo's little daughter saw her in the eyes, and her scream in the swift running made people tremble with pain. Recall that Luo Guo’s daughter described the farmer’s nephew, “He is ugly, like a toad.” Luo Guo said to her daughter, “Your thoughts are ugly. There is the purest soul under the ugly appearance.” He didn’t know. The "truth" is really shuddering. Both are descendants of enlightenment, the farmer and Luo Guo form a sharp contrast.
Compared with Luo Guo's pure smile and undefended innocence, the scheming farmer and the nephew who was taught by his words and deeds are simply a pair of beasts who are embarrassed. After watching this film, you will not only experience the rural scenery of small French villages and towns, but also quickly understand that the cruelest thing in the world is deception. It not only blinds people’s eyes, but also numbs people’s hearts. It pierces your back like a sharp knife when you are cold. And we need to think about it carefully. Lies, no matter how big or small, need to have a human aura. In other words, white lies can be forgiven, while malicious lies lose their humanity and become murderous executioners.
The actor Geral Depardieu interprets the suffering of Luo Guo, who is born with a disability, very well. A smile and a look are pitiful and heartbreaking. I was wondering, as a viewer, I feel so sad, as a person—the pair of uncles and nephews, do they really exist in real life? Is it an exaggerated conjecture by the novel author? When I analyze the author's intentions, in the final analysis, I still point to poverty. Just imagine, if the world is full of money, is there still the sin that you fight for me?
French movies, no matter the tragic comedy, are always intoxicating.
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Jean de Florette reviews
