Internationally renowned as a documentary director, Shu Haolun's first feature. Late 1980s in Shanghai, school dictates as if China has been fully recovered from Cultural Revolution. Yet, students quickly become conscious of new culture things like Coca Cola or Western businessmen. Having a mother immigrated to the states, a high school student Xiaoli lives with his strict grandfather. His best friend is the next door neighbor girl named Lanmi, who is an ordinary worker at a factory. She happened to lead a double life to gradually drift apart from his life. Xiaoli develops a new relationship with his school mate Lili, while growing inner conflict to leave for America.
The director observes the lethargic youth lost in a big city of uncertain tomorrow as if a nostalgic black and white picture. In spite of little benefit by the parental generation, they are trying to find their own ways. In the process of growing up, they emasculate their past and keep silence out there somewhere. Massive urban redevelopment devastated the Shimen Road area, and no one can hear a cheerful laugh of trifling happiness. Far in Beijing, Tiananmen stands still as it used to be. (PARK Sungho)"
