I used to be a weather forecaster, and this status is of no help to the understanding of "Mr. Meteor". The part of the whole film involving weather forecast technology does not exceed 15 seconds, and it is in American Mandarin, with no terminology. The high domestic praise for the film makes me feel that China has entered a middle-aged society, and the entire social structure is a standard rugby-type --- we have a strong middle class.
"Mr. Weather" is an echo of "American Beauty" a few years ago, another film about the mid-life crisis of the American urban middle class. I am 31 years old this year, not yet middle-aged, there is an economic crisis but not a middle-aged crisis. I am neither middle-aged, nor middle-class, and thirdly unfamiliar with American culture, so it is very difficult to understand this film. At one hour and thirty-four minutes, it feels like someone is talking to me about how to put on the green, or about horse racing pedigree.
I don't have the ability to be a film critic, and at the same time I cross cultures, races and social classes, and I can understand deeply and simply. I can only watch this film according to the understanding of a Chinese person, and make this film as domestically as possible:
David Li, male, 42 years old, Mr. Meteor from Shanghai TV Station, has a house and a car, has good health and good looks, and has a decent style. This year, an opportunity was presented to him --- the news department of CCTV needs a new meteorologist, and David Li is very likely to be selected. Once selected, he will be able to talk nonsense in front of the people of the whole country, not only in the Shanghai area, and the cash flow in the bank account will also increase substantially. However, David Lee just couldn't be happy, and not at all.
Why is Mr. Li upset? Because he felt that he was insignificant and completely at a loss in the face of life. His father, Mr. Li Youtian, is the vice chairman of the Chinese Writers Association, the winner of the Mao Dun Literature Award, and the winner of the Fan Changjiang Journalism Award. It has been widely respected and loved by the people for a long time, and has been received by the central leadership many times. X has always been called "the panda of the country". Recently, Comrade Arita is not feeling well and has been checked many times. During the examination, the psychological pressure was very heavy, and he even completely ignored the existence of his son.
David Li's marriage has long since broken down, and his ex-wife Chen Hong lives with two children. Mr. Li has not remarried, and has no girlfriend. It's okay to drive down Chen Hong to look at the lights and the children. His son, Jay Lun Lee, is handsome, so he was tempted and sexually assaulted by strange uncles. His daughter Li Wen, who is obese, was ridiculed by his classmates, nicknamed Fat Abalone---because of her obesity and tight pants, she was unhappy all day long. She wanted to learn how to shoot arrows and shoot living creatures. The specific living thing is not explained in the movie. David Li wanted to reunite with Chen Hong, but it was impossible in the end.
In daily life, because Mr. Meteor's forecast cannot be 100% accurate, he has been humiliated by the Shanghai people repeatedly. The method of humiliation by the people in Shanghai is very unique, hitting him with food and drink. I often heard a sound: David Lee, little chick! Then there are MAC, KFC, Sanhuang Chicken, Nanxiang Xiaolongbao, etc. flying over. After that, there was a hearty laughter from behind: 戆头! Die! The Shanghai masses ran away quickly. Over time, Li Dawei also became suspicious of his own work. He felt that this job was really boring, a rubbish program in rubbish time.
The whole thing broke out when he went to Beijing for an interview: just as he persuaded his daughter to change into skirts in the Yansha Shopping Center to avoid being laughed at by his classmates and achieved good results, the blows followed. First of all, the son was tricked into getting into the car by Uncle Strange, who attracted the police during the anti-riot defense process, but he was bitten by Uncle Strange and said that Jay Lun was trying to steal his wallet and went in. His father followed him to the 301 Hospital for an examination and was diagnosed with lymphoma. He still had three or four months to survive.
Facing these things, Li Dawei was almost like Cui Yongyuan---this is called a "middle-age crisis" in foreign countries. When encountering this kind of problem in China, either he will be Zhongxiang in Taili, or he will go out to the hotel Jindou. But American culture is different. After all, it’s a Puritan. How can it be so triumphant? Therefore, he chose one of the "six arts" that ancient Chinese gentlemen must learn, shooting! Archery. I won't talk about the last thing. Anyway, David Li joined CCTV, Li Youtian passed away, and life is still going on, neither high nor low, good or bad. It's just that there is an extra man in Beijing who can hold his bow and arrow at any time, walking firmly on the third ring of reason.
I don't know what a midlife crisis is, and I can't understand that mood. I only know that midlife crisis means drinking stuffy alcohol, and menopause means bad temper. Here is what I can see in the movie.
In terms of style, the film is very cold. It feels very deserted, and there is no intense plot. The director seems to be pursuing an objective and natural way to describe the life and mental state of a middle-aged person. Try not to talk too much, but to watch. So the whole film is very plain, even a little scattered. The same shot repeatedly appeared twice in it---the surface of the lake with countless broken ice. I feel that this is very consistent with the theme of the film. It is cold and everything is broken. In the use of colors, the reality lens is very deserted, but the occasional reminiscence lens uses warm colors instead. The director used this method to emphasize the feelings of the protagonist in the crisis. Plainness is a unified style throughout the film, a little ridicule, a little sadness, a little ridicule, a little trouble, but absolutely no ups and downs. American film critics said that this is a black comedy.
I think for Chinese audiences, this is a film that can be respected. Because most of the movie's audience are not middle-aged people, there is no crisis if they are middle-aged people, and if there is a crisis, they will not take his approach. In a word, we are alive and well, so we shouldn't understand the middle class in the United States. Can't realize it. China who has the same sentiment and doesn't watch movies at all is on the road to death from overwork. Friends who like movie art can watch it. If you don't like it, there is nothing. After all, it is a matter of others, and it is depressing to live under that kind of living method. As for us, we still rush to a well-off society first, without pretending to be any crisis.
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