I Am Not Madame Bovary

Name: I Am Not Madame Bovary
Genre: Comedy
Released: November 18, 2016
Duration: 128 min
Rating: 65

2016

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Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Ratings

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7.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Ratings

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I Am Not Madame Bovary (US)

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Movie Details & Credits

Well Go USA Entertainment | Release Date: November 18, 2016 | Not Rated

Summary: Li Xuelian and her husband Qin Yuhe stage a fake divorce to secure a second apartment in the city reserved by the government for single people. Qin remarries six months later – as agreed – but to a different woman. Furious, Li files a lawsuit with the county court but loses the case. Refusing to accept the court's findings, Li appeals toLi Xuelian and her husband Qin Yuhe stage a fake divorce to secure a second apartment in the city reserved by the government for single people. Qin remarries six months later – as agreed – but to a different woman. Furious, Li files a lawsuit with the county court but loses the case. Refusing to accept the court's findings, Li appeals to the chief justice, the county chief, and even the mayor, but fails at every turn. After Qin publicly accuses Li of being a "promiscuous woman" because she was not a virgin on their wedding night, Li is driven back to the courts to redeem her reputation. Li makes her way from county to city, enduring one trial after another, until she decides to make her appeal in far-off Beijing. Ten years go by, and the cases of Li's divorce and her ruined reputation have not been resolved. Li has continued to travel to Beijing every year but must face those who wish to quash her efforts every step of the way. [Well Go USA]… Expand

Director: Xiaogang Feng

Genre(s): Comedy

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 128 min

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Critic Reviews

The Film Stage Zhuo-Ning Su

Nov 16, 2016

An overlong mid-section stagnates after the novelty of the premise wears off, but a couple of plot twists late in the game raise the stakes again and Xiaogang Feng, with his signature dry humor and newfound creative juices, hits too many marks on this one for it to disappoint. Read full review

David D'Arcy

Sep 29, 2016

The film’s look is as striking as Fan’s performance. Read full review

Time Out London Trevor Johnston

May 22, 2017

All in all, ‘Madame Bovary’ is quite something, gradually building to a jawdropping final scene. Anyone with an interest in Chinese arthouse cinema really needs to see this. Read full review

Dennis Harvey

Sep 29, 2016

Long, relatively low-key but always engaging, I Am Not Madame Bovary wears its expansive scale lightly. Read full review

Mike D'Angelo

Nov 16, 2016

Fans of both non-action Asian cinema and stifling bureaucratic nightmares, your long wait is finally over. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Sheila O'Malley

Nov 18, 2016

I Am Madame Bovary plays out as a comedy, a lampoon of the incompetence and laziness of government officials. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Nov 11, 2016

The acting is rarely broad and Fan Bingbing delivers a credible haplessness in Lian. The broader comedy translates well-enough. Read full review

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DawdlingPoet

May 4, 2022

One of my first thoughts about this film was that it reminded me of Wes Andersons 'Isle of Dogs' film, partly as its set in Asia but moreso due to the lighting, camerawork/cinematography and also the heavy use of tribal drumming, though there's narration present as well, which I think alsoOne of my first thoughts about this film was that it reminded me of Wes Andersons 'Isle of Dogs' film, partly as its set in Asia but moreso due to the lighting, camerawork/cinematography and also the heavy use of tribal drumming, though there's narration present as well, which I think also applied to Isle of Dogs. It has a real quirkiness to it, this film. I liked how different scenes are shown in different aspect ratios, with the first part of the film almost entirely seen in a big round circle shape, that turns rectangular later. I also thought it had the feel of a traditional folk tale or similar.

There's some witty dialogue present and as I did enjoy the cinematography, with some nice landscape panoramas and sunrise/sunsets shown. There is an emphasis on symmetry shown in the way some scenes are shown, if that makes sense. It depicts a sort of battle of wits and I thought it was amusing seeing how those in authority squirmed with the prospect of how to deal with the unhappy wife (divorced or otherwise). I wouldn't say its an entirely funny film as such but the story does have some moments or aspects that may make you smirk or you may otherwise find somewhat pleasing.

If your not keen on reasonably slow and somewhat arty films then this may be a little plodding for your taste but if yout interested in quirky and amtospheric Asian films with an element of social commentary, then I'd say this is definitely worth seeing, yes.… Expand

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