In the Same Breath

Name: In the Same Breath
Genre: Documentary
Released: August 13, 2021
Duration: 95 min
Rating: 85

2021

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Universal acclaim based on 13 Critic Reviews

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Mixed or average reviews based on 15 Ratings

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4.8

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In The Same Breath

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Movie Details & Credits

HBO Documentary Films | Release Date: August 13, 2021 | Not Rated

Summary: In the Same Breath recounts the experiences of people on the ground in the earliest days of the novel coronavirus and the way two countries dealt with its initial spread, from the first days of the outbreak in Wuhan to its rampage across the United States. Directed with a deeply personal approach by Wang, who was born in China and now livesIn the Same Breath recounts the experiences of people on the ground in the earliest days of the novel coronavirus and the way two countries dealt with its initial spread, from the first days of the outbreak in Wuhan to its rampage across the United States. Directed with a deeply personal approach by Wang, who was born in China and now lives in the United States, the film explores the early confusion and parallel campaigns by authorities to try to contain the virus as well as shape the public narrative through misinformation, resulting in a devastating impact on citizens of both countries. [HBO]… Expand

Director: Nanfu Wang

Genre(s): Documentary

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 95 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Matthew Anderson

Feb 2, 2021

A galling, distressing but enthralling documentary. Read full review

100

RogerEbert.com Robert Daniels

Aug 12, 2021

With her harrowing film In the Same Breath, Wang has established herself as the preeminent documenter of the pain inflicted by oppressive regimes on their people. Read full review

100

Manohla Dargis

Aug 18, 2021

If In the Same Breath — the title becomes more resonant with each new scene and shock — were simply about China and its handling (mishandling) of the pandemic, it would be exemplary. But the story that she tells is larger and deeper than any one country because this is a story that envelops all of us, and it is devastating. Read full review

Chuck Bowen

Aug 10, 2021

In Wang Nanfu’s extraordinary documentary, contemporary political structures are as much of a disease as Covid-19, and, in the long run, the deadlier foes. Read full review

The Guardian Charles Bramesco

Jan 31, 2021

Business as usual has largely resumed in Wuhan, but Wang’s film contends that that’s just the problem. The same apparatuses of messaging and censorship are still in operation, ensuring that the full extent of the malfeasance may never be fully known Read full review

David Rooney

Jan 31, 2021

Even when accessing the situation remotely via camera operators and citizen journalists on the ground, Wang deftly balances factoids with first-hand experiences to show the emotional cost, both for people unable to say goodbye to their loved ones and front-line health care workers and funeral home staff, absorbing the trauma of unrelenting losses. Read full review

Wendy Ide

Jan 31, 2021

The picture draws parallels between China and the US when it comes to botched and skewed deployment of information. Read full review

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User Reviews

JLuis_001

Aug 24, 2023

I had resolved to abstain from watching further documentaries about COVID-19. However, I made an exception for this one due to its purported emphasis on the progression of the situation in China and the intricate web of government propaganda woven to conceal the outbreak.

In my opinion itI had resolved to abstain from watching further documentaries about COVID-19. However, I made an exception for this one due to its purported emphasis on the progression of the situation in China and the intricate web of government propaganda woven to conceal the outbreak.

In my opinion it needed to be more incisive, after all anyone can criticize the tactics of the Chinese government, but considering the material shown in the documentary, I highly doubt that there wasn't much more brutal and crucial footage of the victims and the state of the hospitals overwhelmed by the disease, but I speculate that bringing that sort of thing to light might have provoked some sort of retaliation from China.

Nevertheless, this documentary stands as one of the most commendable pieces of work I've encountered regarding the pandemic.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Brent_Marchant

Aug 18, 2021

Making a documentary about the COVID-19 pandemic has got to be one of the most challenging ventures a filmmaker can undertake, especially given the fact that it's still ongoing. What's more, there are so many aspects to focus on, that it's undoubtedly difficult to know where to place properMaking a documentary about the COVID-19 pandemic has got to be one of the most challenging ventures a filmmaker can undertake, especially given the fact that it's still ongoing. What's more, there are so many aspects to focus on, that it's undoubtedly difficult to know where to place proper emphasis. And, when one adds to that the ever-shifting sands of available and credible information (particularly from officials in China, site of the pandemic's origin, and the US), it's difficult to know what to believe. Such are the hurdles that director Nanfu Wang faced in making this film, now airing on HBO. Certain elements are sensitively and expertly handled, such as the impact of the pandemic on victims, their families and the health care workers tending to their needs, painfully sad segments guaranteed to move viewers to tears. However, the slope is considerably slipperier when it comes to addressing governmental responses to the virus. Is the ineffectual handling of the crisis due to incompetence, a lack of preparation and/or blind denial, or is something more nefarious at work, given the hardline, authoritarian, propagandist proclamations that, arguably, are being issued on both sides of the globe? On this front, the director seems less sure of herself, hedging her bets and holding back from saying what she really wants to say. That's unfortunate given that Ms. Wang is generally not one to waffle, as previously seen in hard-hitting releases like "One Child Nation." Here, however, she seems to resist throwing down the gauntlet, an approach that dilutes her message -- and weakens the film -- at a time when a definitive perspective is needed more than ever.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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