Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles (Simplified Chinese: åƒé‡Œèµ°å•骑, Traditional Chinese: åƒé‡Œèµ°å–®é¨Ž; pinyin: qiÄn lÇ zÇ’u dÄn qÃ) is a 2005 Chinese drama film, directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Takakura Ken. After the two successful wuxia films Hero and House of Flying Daggers, Zhang Yimou returned to a more low key drama film with Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles. The film tells the story of Takada, a Japanese father who has not spoken to his son for many years. When he learns that his son is dying, he travels to China to visit a village where his son has spent a lot of time. In an attempt to repair relations with his son, Takada decides to film a performance of a Chinese opera singer that his son had wanted to see but was unable to until now. He travels to the village where the singer lived, only to learn that he had been imprisoned after having injured another man in a fight. The young son of the singer is made to come with Takada to talk to the imprisoned father. Much of the story focuses on the father-son relationship Takada and the singer have with their respective sons, but also on the bond that grows between Takada and the singer's son. |