Dark Matter

I'm a programmer, have been for years. One of the first things you learn in programing is that using single precision numbers is generally frowned upon. If the main character had read the first fifteen pages of virtually any book on programming, he would have known this as well. Also, with use of "find/replace all" one could make the changes in code relatively simply and be on their way to a PHD. Generally this would involve changing the word "single" to "double" and, perhaps a few storage bit lengths. Therefore I cannot relate to the main character's motivation or this story.

Every now and then a movie comes along that is so bad somebody needs to pay. I was motivated to at least create an account here and warn others. This is a very dramatic movie. I'm very tolerant of dramatic, slow moving films. I often like them when few others do. But this stinker is the epitome of a slow moving, do nothing, say nothing movie. To complete the stink bomb, the ending is void of any redeeming value whatever. To reiterate - I'm very tolerant of off beat movies that most people don't like. There's nothing in this movie to like. No pithy lines, no stimulating interaction between characters; just non-thought provoking depression. I've seen plenty of movies that are just plain awful, but they're usually just silly or weird without merit. This one is in a class of it's own; it's disturbingly bad. Someone's gotta pay.

What we have here is an interesting concept that is turned into a certified snooze festival. An exchange student from China,majoring in Astro Physics, is given the shaft from not just his professor, but the school in general. What results is a downwards spiral for the student, resulting in a deadly confrontation (sound all too familiar already?). Despite crackerjack performances from a top flight cast, this film suffers from a script with enough holes to let entire planets pass through. Meryl Streep & Aidan Quinn are clearly wasted in this lame duck of a political potboiler (even though their performances are worth a look). This little film was released in 2007, but have been getting scattershot distribution. You might consider scoring some no doze to go with that popcorn to get through this.

The main issue beyond the plot - dark matter, cosmology etc - are not interesting to me, but the scenes have smoothly combined and related human issues have been pleasantly highlighted (perhaps the ending comes too suddenly). When East meets West, then differences in thinking and linguistic difficulties are present and coping with them is not always easy for those involved and their circles. And like in many other areas, science is also full of intrigues and I am sure that many important inventions or explorations have been covered up or postponed. All the cast is good at least, but Liu Ye and Meryl Streep are both outperforming the others. Mrs Streep is definitely the greatest, the most versatile contemporary actress. Mr Ye was unknown to me, but I think he is worth remembering (hopefully Hollywood will not exploit him in B-range action movies). Recommendable to those fond of dramas based on real events, although I consider Hawking (2004) better.

I watched this with several friends and it was interesting to see who was surprised by the ending and who wasn't. Let there be no doubt, there is a great subject for a plot here. Forget that its based on a true story because its not - that's just marketing and fodder for pointless forum discussions. What really hurt this movie were the pointless special effects and overly exaggerated sentimental shots, mostly featuring Meryl Streep, interspersed throughout the movie - typically after a scene where the protagonist experiences success or failure. There are only a handful of these shots and they only last seconds – but they are schmaltzy in an otherwise very believable movie. If you're watching even somewhat closely, they give away the movie very quickly. I'll bet Shi-Zheng Chen goes on eventually to make a truly great movie. This one is about half way there.

I'm not sure if the ending was so terrible due to lack of budget...or just terrible story telling. Either way....don't let the known actors in this film be your reason for watching it, as even their presence cannot redeem the ending of this film . It was obvious what yet needed to happen to vindicate the main character....and to punish the professor who all along was being built up as a jealous man trying to keep a dead theory in play for his own personal gains....but this you will not see....instead of the last 35-40 minutes of the film.....you see a murder suicide for a "Quick and cheap wrap!" Just another film dumped on the market in hopes of retrieving it's initial investment....which I seriously doubt it did.

I started watching this film with the IMDb reviews in mind. Nothing could prepare me to what I have seen. Definitely a great director. The story is told with subtlety, depression is painted with soft strokes, one almost doesn't even know what caused it. A story of minimal events that makes a life. Strangely, and I feel sorry to say that, it is the first Chinese film I have seen that embraces foreign culture, and in such a way. The only thing that is bad in this film are the title credits and the end which is maybe too dramatic, but beautiful. Watch it. Yes, I am watching the end right now, too dramatic, and the end credits look like the start one. Great film.