21 June 2013
People often assume that, if a film is slow and has sub-titles, it must also be profound. Andrea Segre's debut - the story of Shun Li (Zhao Tao), a Chinese single mum who, inadvertently, finds a soul-mate in Venice - certainly boasts fine acting from all concerned, along with delicious, understated visuals (this is the Veneto lagoon as you've never seen it before).
But the plot is preposterous, offering up not one, but two, saintly females for our hi falutin' delectation. Pablo Giorgelli's Las Acacias handled similar material with far more subtlety. Skip this phoney slow-burner and rent out that 2011 gem, instead.
