This director is vindictive.

Chapter 178 Everyone is laughing, only he is crying

The movie is over.

Chen Mo seemed a little nervous because he made some major changes to the movie.

He also didn't know how people would respond to the film.

It's a bit like the feeling of an ugly son-in-law meeting his father-in-law.

This feeling is very subtle.

Fortunately, regardless of whether it was out of politeness or not, the audience still gave applause.

Well, that's fine. Chen Mo's requirements aren't very high, as long as it's above the passing line.

The reality was somewhat beyond his expectations. The applause rang out twice. Although it was not as exaggerated as in "Dying to Survive" where it rang out many times in a row, at least it rang out twice. It should be more than just out of politeness, right?

Zhou Xiaobin and Bai Yue were also discussing the movie.

"How should I put it? It's definitely not as good as 'Dying to Survive', and the movie isn't commercial enough, but it's somewhat unexpected," said Zhou Xiaobin.

"I think it's pretty good, mainly because the director is very restrained and doesn't deliberately try to be sentimental." Bai Yue said with a smile.

"Indeed, to be honest, I was a little worried at the beginning. I wondered if Chen Mo would be too ambitious and create a small role in the beginning. I was wondering if he would focus on family. It's not that focusing on family is bad, but the subject matter is there. If family is the main line, then it would be a bit of a dilemma. Fortunately, he restrained himself." Zhou Xiaobin also agreed with Bai Yue's opinion.

"It has a strong urban feel! It's completely different from 'Departures'!"

"That's definitely different. 'Departures' is more focused, or more artistically concrete. The cello is not an instrument that's popular."

"But what I didn't expect was this ending. Tsk, tsk, it felt a bit abrupt, but inexplicably just right. Just like life, many times, it just comes to an abrupt end!"

"Yes, the best thing is that it wasn't made into a family film. Several events were shown in great detail, but the portrayal of the father-son relationship wasn't that in-depth."

After the premiere, Chen Mo could not predict the box office performance of the following movies.

The original version of "Life Events" was actually released at a much better time than Chen Mo's version.

Because the original version of "Life Events" was released after the outbreak of the epidemic, it can be said that more people have a more intuitive feeling about death.

"It's rare to see you like this, what's wrong?" As his bedmate, and the earliest one to follow Chen Mo, she found it a little funny.

The main thing is that it is rare to see Chen Mo so worried and anxious.

"You don't understand!" Chen Mo didn't explain too much. Yes, she wouldn't understand. Naturally, Chen Mo couldn't say much about this kind of thing.

"Yes, I don't understand. But don't you always look confident? Why this time..." Zhao Liying also found it quite interesting.

Because in the past, every time a new work of Chen Mo was released, he always gave people a feeling of extreme confidence, otherwise he would not have the nickname Chen Sanzhi.

"Birth, old age, sickness and death are all major events in life, but in this story of living towards death, the knot of family ties is untied by the rich flavor of the market and the subtlest tenderness, releasing a mess and also deconstructing the spiritual shackles that are tightly bound in the bones of Oriental people." In the evening, Zhao Liying sat there and read the latest film reviews to Chen Mo.

"I have to say Chen Mo's casting vision is as good as ever. This script is a perfect fit for Zhu Yulong, who is both a sassy yet warm, tough guy with a tender heart, making you forget all the roles he has played. The film is also a rare funeral theme, with humor that isn't vulgar or clichéd, and tears that aren't contrived or sentimental. Plus, the pacing is well-controlled, with a strong sense of everyday life. It doesn't overemphasize the "heaviness" of life and death, but instead allows you to feel the "lightness" of living in the present moment."

"It far exceeded my expectations. It was both funny and tear-jerking, with a tight pace and dense storylines. It was basically a cycle of crying and laughing. The little girl was so smart that I almost cried with her.

The person who plants stars, a child's poem! I watched the preview, the house was full, and when the ending song played, no one left. I really like the atmosphere of this song!

"What's rare is that the funerals chosen also have a very oriental, everyday feel. The old man, wanting to keep his family peaceful, wanted to spend his money, spending 300,000 yuan on a funeral. It seemed absurd, but there was a sense of helplessness. The subsequent twist was quite ironic, and Zhu Yulong's mourning was the highlight. None of his children cried, but he did, and this made them regret their actions. It was really interesting."

"The husband who committed suicide for love brought me to tears. Earlier, I saw him smiling so gently, without a trace of sadness. I felt the same way as the relatives and friends of his newlywed wife in the movie, thinking that this man was truly heartless. But I didn't expect that when love is so deep, there are no tears. He used the most ordinary smile to hide the deepest sorrow. I really want to watch it again, maybe I can see the deeper sadness behind his smile!"

"The film not only focuses on life and death, but also on family affection. The interaction between San Ge and Xiao Wen goes from initial resistance to gradual testing and becoming inseparable from each other. They heal and warm each other. Chen Mo's choice of Zhu Yulong always brings different surprises. His acting skills are unquestionable, and his performance is vivid and the degree of control is very good. The adult and the child work together very well. The cinema was full of tears and laughter!"

"The movie is very restrained. There are many parts that could have been sentimental, but it was restrained. It was very comfortable to watch."

"How is it? Are you relieved now?" Zhao Liying read many short comments, then looked at Chen Mo and asked with a sweet smile.

"Is there a long review?" Chen Mo asked again.

"Okay, I got it! I'll read it to you." Zhao Liying flipped through it and found a freshly published long review.

"When I first watched 'Departures', it was praised by many people, but to be honest, as an ordinary Chinese, it was just like watching a foreigner being buried, with a group of people standing there quietly waiting for the priest to pronounce the funeral. It felt good, but not realistic enough. Maybe it's because funeral culture is different after all?

I have always been looking forward to "Life Events". After watching Chen Mo's interview, I found out that his family is in the grave business.

I heard him talk about how when he was young, he didn't dare tell anyone at school what his family did.

This is very real. In the movie, people don’t dare to tell their girlfriends about their work. This is also very real because there are people like this around me.

Not to mention others, in fact, even we, including myself, usually have a very stereotyped impression of people in the funeral industry. In short, I don’t have a particularly good impression of them.

If we talk about people who come into contact with the most deaths, there are forensic doctors and doctors. However, in comparison, the social status of forensic doctors and doctors is far from that of practitioners in the funeral industry.

In addition, Chinese people are usually taboo about touching death, funeral personnel, funeral ceremonies, and the souls of the dead.

Therefore, we don’t really know much about the practitioners in the funeral industry, or we don’t want to know.

But it just so happens that we Chinese are the people in the world who attach the most importance to "afterlife".

Chen Mo is very bold. I have searched through a lot of old materials and still can hardly find a movie with funeral themes.

This subject matter is actually not easy to film. In the beginning, I was actually worried that he would film it in the style of "Departures". It's not that it's bad, but it's inappropriate!
Why is it difficult to film? Because you can't portray this profession as something great and selfless like in "Departures". That would be very cinematic, but it wouldn't be realistic.

"Departures" describes this profession as someone who gives the greatest respect to the deceased and escorts the deceased on their final journey with a saintly heart.

Be it the deceased or the funeral director, they have nothing to do with bad luck. Instead, they have a romance that cannot be matched by other identities or professions.

But what is the truth? The truth is that all of us, almost all of us, have a stereotype about people in this profession. Maybe it's a bit absolute, but they are definitely not the so-called people who escort the deceased on their last journey with a saintly heart.

The male lead in "Life Events" Zhu Yulong plays the role of Lao San, and this role is designed very thoughtfully.

He is neither the stereotypical figure of people in the funeral industry who are stern, snobbish, and always have an "ominous" air about them, nor is he the literary cello-playing guy in "Departures".

But it gives people the feeling that this is a real funeral director.

In his first appearance, Mo Sanmei, dressed in a floral shirt, sunglasses, and sporting a buzz cut and stubble, is cautious in front of his girlfriend. His subsequent tone when interrupted by a colleague's phone call immediately captures his directness. When he casually spits out something from his car, accepts a cigarette from a companion, and even lights it with burning yellow paper, the audience sees his down-to-earth and casual nature. Later, when he's falsely accused of theft, he strips down to his underwear to prove his point.

With just one appearance and the resolution of a misunderstanding, the audience was presented with Mo Sanmei's image. This unfussy, carefree, self-conscious, and somewhat ruffian-like Mo Sanmei stood before the audience.

This kind of role can be said to be just right. He is not so good, nor so bad. He is not so good as to subvert everyone's usual impression of people in the funeral industry, nor is he so bad as to be unrealistic.

He is not particular about small matters and is kind-hearted at heart, but at the same time, he also has the bad habits of ordinary people. He said several times that he didn't want to do it anymore, but when the situation of "giving too much" appeared, he still had to say "It's so good!"
The film is rich in detail, so rich that it doesn't seem staged, but rather excerpts from real events in a certain time and space. For example, on the morning Xiaowen wakes up, a delivery man with a brain enters the room. His appearance here is just that, a mere presence, not serving the subsequent plot, but simply making a reasonable appearance.

In the streets of "Life Events", the modern hustle and bustle and the long avenues are just a fleeting glimpse. The key streets where the plot unfolds are alleys so narrow that only one car can pass through. On the roadside are old residential buildings, and on the ground floor are small roadside shops. The fireworks are noisy, and neighbors are shoulder to shoulder. This image is the bustle of ordinary people and the living space of the lower class people.

Funeral rituals, funeral objects, and imagery related to Journey to the West are all unique cultural hallmarks of Chinese culture, deeply imprinted in people's minds and conveying universal meanings. Cultural imagery becomes a cultural symbol, endowed with relatively fixed and unique cultural meanings. In "Life's Major Events," a dazzling array of cultural symbols creates a rich and enduring sense of immersion in Chinese culture.

I am a very picky movie watcher. I hate vulgar jokes and do not like awkward laughter. Puns are usually okay sometimes. I like normal jokes and prefer to think about them to make me laugh. The jokes here are dense and normal.

Tears, I resist all sentimental designs, I don't like to make people sad for the sake of sadness, I refuse with both hands. Life is already so bitter. I admit that I have some escape
I'm quite receptive to director Chen Mo's handling of this aspect in this film. Despite the suffering, people strive even harder. For both the characters and me, the audience, it felt like a cardio workout. Exhausted, but at the end of it, a sense of relief followed.

The movie is not deliberately sentimental, it just tells the story calmly, looking at the deaths from the perspective of a funeral director.

Maybe it is impossible to resonate with people in every scene, but I think at least some of them can inadvertently touch our empathy points.

The idea of ​​this movie itself does not seem to be "I want to tell you something through these things" but just telling a few small stories. As for the moral, the audience can interpret it by themselves.

This is very good, and the selection of several short stories is also very targeted.

The first one was the death of Xiaowen’s grandmother. For a child, we Chinese people have rarely instilled the concept of death in children, and there is a lack of education in this area.

Therefore, when the male protagonist saw Xiaowen chasing him for his grandmother, he seemed a little helpless. He seemed indifferent and said that she had burned it and would never be seen again. This was too cruel to a child.

So, in the end, I still used "turning into stars" to explain it.

Each of these different funerals is nourishment for his growth.

The most memorable moment was when Xiaowen was performing at school and the little boy called out, "Rest in peace, Mom!"

While watching the movie, the whole audience burst into laughter, but after laughing, there was an inexplicable feeling of sadness.

Because I saw the sorrow hidden in the eyes of the third brother when he bowed on the stage!

Everyone was laughing, but he was crying in his heart!
Thinking about what he said about not having a childhood and spending his childhood in the crematorium, this statement perfectly captures the greatest sorrow of those working in the funeral industry!

"You should feel relieved now, right?" Zhao Liying looked at Chen Mo with a smile. Anyway, the nervous Chen Mo gave her a very interesting feeling.

"Well, are the ratings out yet?" Chen Mo asked again.

"It's out, but only more than 8.1 people have rated it so far, and the score is !" Zhao Liying gave a full-star rating on the page.

But Chen Mo breathed a sigh of relief. This score definitely could not be the final score, but it was already very useful for reference.

At least, there is no need to worry if you are above the passing line.

After Chen Mo put his mind at ease, he looked up at Zhao Liying. It was true that star energy nourishes people! The yellow-haired girl back then had become a great beauty now.

Of course, this is also related to her good foundation.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Although they were an old married couple, Zhao Liying was still a little surprised by Chen Mo's constant scrutiny. Of course, it was definitely not because she was shy. After all, they had long passed that stage.

"Of course it's because you look pretty!" Chen Mo said with a smile.

"Tsk, they're not as pretty as your female confidantes!" Zhao Liying glared at Chen Mo and said sourly.

"When did the Golden Eagle Goddess become so unconfident? You are the only round-faced beauty like her in the entertainment industry. Don't underestimate yourself." Chen Mo walked up to her and put his arm around her slender waist.

"That's not right. You looked so nervous just now, how come you changed so suddenly? The Legend of the Demon Cat will premiere tomorrow, are you really not worried at all?" Zhao Liying leaned in Chen Mo's arms, suddenly stood up and asked.

"Poet Chen's movies are just paper tigers. Look at his movies over the years. Which one performed particularly well?" Chen Mo said with a smile.

After hearing what Chen Mo said, Zhao Liying thought about it carefully. Chen the poet was so famous, but it seemed to be true.

"The Orphan of Zhao" received mixed reviews and was considered a half-finished product, with a box office of 1.82 million yuan.

"The Taoist Goes Down the Mountain" was also criticized a lot, with a box office of 4 million yuan.

Looking at it this way, it seems, probably, as if, it is really just as Chen Mo said, this is a paper tiger.

It looks awesome, but it's just looks.

Because his truly recognized good works were all from 2000 years ago.

"But this time the investment is 10 billion! Are you really not worried at all? The screening schedule will definitely be affected, right?" Zhao Liying asked.

Chen Mo smiled and shook his head: "If you only look at the investment, then why do we need a director? The theater chain is not stupid. Besides, don't you underestimate me a little? Am I really that insignificant?"

Chen Mo said disapprovingly.

If you talk about international awards and qualifications, he may not be as good as Poet Chen, but if you talk about movie box office, Poet Chen is really not good enough at the moment.

Cinemas need to sell tickets. No matter how famous poet Chen is, if your movie doesn't sell well, cinemas will not schedule your movie.

Moreover, Chen Mo is no longer the same person he used to be. Shengshi Pictures is not made of clay.

Do you really think that the targets he selected for financing were randomly chosen?

Zhao Liying couldn't help but feel a little dazed. Looking at Chen Mo who was full of confidence again, she didn't know why she suddenly felt a little dazed.

Yes, I am no longer the same as I was before, but the man in front of me flies higher and faster than me. Of course, there are more women with this bastard.

She couldn't help but feel nostalgic for the time when Chen Mo had just directed the movie "Let's Watch Meteor Shower Together"!
"My lady, it's getting late, it's time to rest!" Chen Mo said with a smile.

Zhao Liying's pretty face blushed rarely, then she put her arms around Chen Mo's neck and gave him a sweet kiss.

Big things are good in some ways, and small things are wonderful in some ways. The taste of each one is beyond description to outsiders.

Well, I guess you don’t like to watch this, so I’ll skip it here!
The next day, "Life Events" naturally occupied the front page of the media without any surprise.

After all, it just came out.

"Life's Big Events: The warmth and touching moments of life, with a delicate plot that conveys profound meaning!"

"The most earthly flavor - "Life Events"!"

“Life Events: No one’s death should be forgotten!”

(End of this chapter)