"Shower"

One of the highlights of my senior year of college was attempting to complete a bucket list with my best friend Kate. For as silly as this may sound, this was no ordinary bucket list. This list was complied of 64 movies, all of which had been nominated for an Oscar in “Best Picture” within the past 10 years. The thinking and rationale was that if a movie was nominated for a ‘best picture of the year award’, it had to be good or have some value. We soon learned that this was not always the case, however it did make for many weekends of movie marathons, trips to the library to rent the DVD’s, and many a popped bag of popcorn.

I have seen many a movie in my life—not only this past semester but also at home (we’re a big movie family). While here in China we have had the opportunity to watch {required} movies that give us glimpses into Chinese culture, society, and history. I have now been exposed to a movie that I highly recommend for all to see. As our coordinator put it, we refer to it as a “dramaody” (drama & comedy), and possesses a storyline that crosses a multitude of cultures and generations.

The movie is called “Shower”. Yes, it is a Chinese film. Yes, you would have to watch it with English subtitles. This story touches two very sensitive areas of my heart: the Chinese people and those who are mentally handicapped. The story is about a man and his two sons, one of which is mentally handicapped. He is the owner of a bath house (a place where people communally bathe; that’s how it’s done in China) and due to the reconstruction of Beijing, they are forced to move and uproot their lives for something new.

This is a story that will certainly bring you joy, warm your heart, and display a large chunk of Chinese family and history. Now, be warned, I would probably rate this movie as a PG-13 movie for the inclusion of a few choice words and some of the general material. However, it is definitely a new favorite of mine that I would love to pass along. Grab some friends, grab some popcorn, and have a fun night!