Song o Shang Qing Yun
2019 / 99m - China
Drama
3.5*/5.0*
Send Me to the Clouds poster

Watches

November 28, 2020

3.5*/5.0*

A more than decent drama that shows a lot of promise, but can't seem to fully commit to its arthouse aesthetic. There are moments of true beauty here, but then there are also scenes that feel just a little too flimsy. It's the perfect award-winning film in other words, and that it did.

Sheng Nan is only 29 when she is diagnosed with cancer. She doesn't have her life on the rails yet, and she can't pay for the treatment. A friend of hers lands her a well-paid job, a writing gig for an entrepreneur's father. Her mother, not knowing Sheng is ill, joins her on the trip, which becomes somewhat of an existential journey.

The cinematography is beautiful, performances are strong (Chen Yao stands out) and the drama is solid. The pacing is a bit impatient though and there are some lighter moments that don't really fit in with the rest of the film. There's certainly a lot to like here, but it stops just short of being a masterpiece.