IGN.com|AskMen.com|Rotten Tomatoes|GameSpy|FilePlanet|TeamXbox|CheatsCodesGuides|GameStats|Direct2Drive|Green Pixels
RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • The Vine
  • Forums
  • Box Office
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches by subscribing to our Google Subscribed Links profile.
 
Movies / On DVD / Farewell My Concubine
Farewell My Concubine

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Email to a Friend
  • Add to List
  • Bookmark and Share
  • Buy Poster External Icon

Farewell My Concubine (1993)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
88 %
Tomatometer

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted: 33

Fresh: 29

Rotten:4

Average Rating: 7.5/10

Consensus: Chen Kaing's epic is grand in scope and presentation, and, bolstered by solid performances, the result is a film both horrifying and enthralling.

Runtime: 2 hrs 37 mins

Genre: Foreign Films

Synopsis: In Chen Kaige's adaptation of the Lilian Lee novel, Cheng Dieyi (Leslie Cheung) and Duan Xiaolou (Fengyi Zhang) grow up enduring the harsh training of the Peking Opera Academy, where instructors regularly beat the children as a means of... In Chen Kaige's adaptation of the Lilian Lee novel, Cheng Dieyi (Leslie Cheung) and Duan Xiaolou (Fengyi Zhang) grow up enduring the harsh training of the Peking Opera Academy, where instructors regularly beat the children as a means of instilling in them the discipline needed to master the complex physical and vocal technique. As the two boys mature, they develop complementary talents: Dieyi, with his fine, delicate features, assumes the female roles while the burlier Xiaolou plays masculine warlords. Their dramatic identities become real for Dieyi when he falls in love with Xiaolou; the resolutely heterosexual Xiaolou, however, marries a courtesan, Juxian (Gong Li), creating a dangerous, jealousy-filled romantic triangle. Spanning 50 years from the early part of the 20th century to the tumultuous Cultural Revolution, Kaige's passionate, exquisitely shot film captures the vast historical scope of a changing world (and the mesmerizing pageantry of the opera) while also providing the intimate and touching details of a unique, tender, heartrending love story. [More]

Starring: Gong Li, Leslie Cheung

Starring: Gong Li, Leslie Cheung

Director: Chen Kaige

Director: Chen Kaige
Screenwriter: Lilian Lee

[See More Credits]

DVD Info

 
 
 
 
Release:

Dec 14, 1999

[DVD Details]
 
 

DVD Features:

  • Region 1 Encoding
  • Keep Case

Reviews for Farewell My Concubine

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By: Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
Ratings Image

With stunning set pieces and the dramatic backdrop of the revolution, Kaige captures perfectly the relationship between the two boys.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
08/12/08
Phillipa Bloom
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image

The scenes in the Peking Opera School, where boys are caned for doing wrong or right, are no less horrifying than the later tableaus of public humiliation at the hands of the Maoists.

Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | comment Comment
08/12/08
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
Ratings Image

Gong Li is superb and Cheng Kaige's direction suitably grandiose.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
08/12/08
Channel 4 Film
Ratings Image

This is entertaining filmmaking on a grand scale.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
08/12/08
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
Ratings Image

Seductively lensed but emotionally uninvolving.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
05/21/08
Derek Elley
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image

Chen's remarkable movie uses an unusual love triangle to telescope more than 50 years of tumultuous Chinese history.

Full Review Source: Newsweek | comment Comment
04/07/08
David Ansen
Newsweek
Ratings Image

the drama is cheesy, simplistic and too stodgy in its presentation to really hold up to its historic framing and epic sweep

Full Review Source: Perihelion Journal | comment Comment
08/21/06
Jay Antani
Perihelion Journal
Ratings Image

No review available.

comment Comment
08/16/06
Boyd van Hoeij
bibloi.com
Ratings Image

Visually impressive and emotionally complex, this historical epic, winner of the Cannes Festival Palme d'Or, relates the tumultuous history of China through the story of two friends who meet as children and become stars of the Peking Opera.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
06/25/06
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Ratings Image

Well-acted but limited because its drama is emotionally uninvolving.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
04/03/06
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Ratings Image

Sweeping, self-important and only moderately stirring.

Full Review Source: Lessons of Darkness | comment Comment
03/22/06
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness
Ratings Image

Appropriately operatic, Chen's visually spectacular epic is sumptuous in every respect. Intelligent, enthralling, rhapsodic.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/26/06
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
Ratings Image

No review available.

comment Comment
06/26/05
Jules Brenner
Cinema Signals
Ratings Image

No review available.

comment Comment
12/08/04
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Ratings Image

No review available.

comment Comment
08/04/04
Linda Cook
Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)
Ratings Image

No review available.

comment Comment
03/29/04
Frank Swietek
One Guy's Opinion
Ratings Image

No review available.

comment Comment
10/04/03
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall
Ratings Image

No review available.

comment Comment
09/05/03
Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Ratings Image

Visually stunning

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
07/20/03
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice
N/R

Click here for INTERVIEW with CHEN KAIGE regarding "Together."

Full Review Source: Hollywood Report Card | comment Comment
05/21/03
Ross Anthony
Hollywood Report Card
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
See More Topics...

Related Forums for Farewell My Concubine

inessalenin
It's a pity it failed to get Oscar ...ridiculous reason
by: inessalenin 10/29


inessalenin
It's a pity it failed to get Oscar ...ridiculous reason
by: inessalenin 10/29


inessalenin
It's a pity it failed to get Oscar ...ridiculous reason
by: inessalenin 10/29


inessalenin
It's a pity it failed to get Oscar ...ridiculous reason
by: inessalenin 10/29


inessalenin
It's a pity it failed to get Oscar ...ridiculous reason
by: inessalenin 10/29
See All

More DVDs

Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
FRESH: 1 88% Hellboy II: The Golden…
FRESH: 2 89% Kung Fu Panda
ROTTEN: 3 53% Get Smart
FRESH: 4 61% Journey to the Center …
FRESH: 5 67% The Incredible Hulk

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
FRESH: 96 96% WALL-E
FRESH: 83 83% Tropic Thunder
FRESH: 63 63% Sisterhood of the Trav…
FRESH: 88 88% Gonzo: The Life and Wo…
FRESH: 93 93% Encounters At the End …

More New Releases…

What’s Hot On RT

Dance Flick Trailer

Dance Flick Trailer

The latest spoof from the Wayans bros.

Guillermo del Toro

Guillermo del Toro

Five favourite films with the Hellboy director...

NEW Watchmen Pics

NEW Watchmen Pics

You watch the Watchmen

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Trailer Bulletin: Exclusive Star Trek TV Trailer!
96
  • Weekly Ketchup: Jaden Smith to be The Karate Kid
114
  • Ratner Puts Brakes on Conan Reports Source: Los Angeles Times
16
  • Del Toro Plans Stop-Motion Pinocchio Project Source: Bloody Disgusting
6
  • RT Sees Star Trek Footage!
72
  • Weekly Ketchup: Jack Black to star in Gulliver's Travels
50
  • Spielberg, Will Smith Teaming Up for Oldboy Remake Source: Variety
63
  • Superman Meets The Godfather: Mark Millar's "Magnum Opus" Source: Empire Magazine
39
  • Sam Mendes Steps Up to Preacher's Pulpit Source: Hollywood Reporter
6
  • Sam Jackson in a Last Dragon Remake? Sho'nuff! Source: Hollywood Reporter
18
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Bonding with Bond, Day 24: Quantum of Solace
80
  • Weekly Ketchup: Jaden Smith to be The Karate Kid
57
  • Five Favorite Films with Twilight's Robert Pattinson
49
  • Trailer Bulletin: Exclusive Star Trek TV Trailer!
48
  • Total Recall: James Bond Countdown -- Find Out Where Quantum of Solace Fits In!
42
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Bond Tops Toons With $70M
39
  • RT on DVD: WALL-E And An Exclusive Tropic Thunder Deleted Scene!
37
  • Five Favorite Films with Guillermo del Toro
35
  • Total Recall: Sexy Vampires
12
  • Critics Consensus: Quantum of Solace is Certified Fresh
11
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Ricky Gervais - RT's Dinner and the Movies Interview - Chapter 5
1
  • Ricky Gervais - RT's Dinner and the Movies Interview - Chapter 4
3
  • Ricky Gervais - RT's Dinner and the Movies Interview - Chapter 3
1
  • Ricky Gervais - RT's Dinner and the Movies Interview - Chapter 2
1
  • Ricky Gervais - RT's Dinner and the Movies Interview - Chapter 1
3
  • Video Exclusive: Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Banks on W.
4
  • RT Interview: Charlie Kaufman on Synecdoche, New York
39
  • Exclusive: Alexandre Aja talks Mirrors and Piranha 3D
9
  • RT Interview: Jason Statham Chats Death Race, Crank 2 and The Sweeney
9
  • RT AU Interview: Andrew Stanton and Ben Burtt talk WALL-E
6
 
 

Around The Network

  • Farewell My Concubine at Rotten Tomatoes
 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | ModCenter | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2008, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.