Lighting Up the Stars (2022)

How a Guy Speedran His Mid-life Crisis: The Movie

Now, I know what it sounds like when I literally rate this a 10/10 across the board but I swear I cannot overstate this when I say this is forever going to be one of my favorite movies for the rest of time. Director and writer Liu Jiangjiang was very humble when he said that some people might think it's an immature movie, with immature/inexperienced staff and actors, and with messages that might be too on the nose -- he went on to say that he just hopes everyone will appreciate the movie, even if just a little bit, because he and the rest of the cast and crew put so much of their heart into it. And you know what? Lighting Up the Stars exceeded all expectations, at least for me. Heartwarming, funny, profound, playful, a tearjerker... This film is the equivalent of finally coming home after being away for a while, of being wrapped in a blanket on a cold winter's day, of sleepovers with your friends in childhood, giggling after lights-out. Words cannot do justice to how this film makes you unlock emotions you probably weren't even aware of -- in a good way.

Before I go on with this review, I do want to stress that there's a scene near the start that's extremely uncomfortable to watch, showing Sange basically attempting to sexually assault his ex-girlfriend. It's obviously not shown in a good light, and nothing happens because they get interrupted by her new boyfriend who she cheated on him with while he was in jail. Still, I want to add this warning beforehand, because despite how much I adore this film this was the sole thing I absolutely despised.

It's a very straightforward story, but that doesn't detract from everything else at all, it's one of its strengths. The topics of funerals and death is one that has a lot of taboos associated with them, and choosing to tell the narrative from a child's (Xiaowen's) point of view gives the already novel subject matter a spin you don't often see. While ostensibly a movie about a little girl losing her grandmother and gaining a new family, it's about much more than that. Yes, Xiaowen is at the heart of the story; it is, in many ways, a story about her more so than the adults around her. But it's also about what family really means, it's about what you want in life, it's about love in all its forms, it's about what you do -- and what you don't do. It's about the very outlook on life and death, and how one small change can make the difference. It's about a little girl just wanting her grandma back, and a man who is disillusioned with the world desperately wanting to live up to his dead brother's image finding each other and being what the other needs.

Connected through a series of funerals (of course, what else could it be, when it's Sange's literal line of work), each one is distinct in not only execution but also atmosphere, set dressing, and so on; each one a beat in the movie showing the changes in the characters and driving the story forward. While the ostentatious one with the old man who pretends to be dead is by far the loudest and most colorful (and definitely the funniest), the funeral that stuck with me the most was actually one of the first, with the little girl. From Xiaowen pretending to be Sange's daughter to get her family's approval to manage her funeral to her drawing on the girl's cinerary casket which couldn't be washed off, to the girl's family bursting out into tears of gratitude because their little girl loved to draw and Xiaowen's scribbles are so much better than more impersonal casket it originally was... While to some degree you can see it coming, it definitely sets the stage and does so well to convey the unpredictability of life and death, and human's hearts. Liu Jiangjiang's family is in this business and it shows in the care and details he puts into every one of the funerals depicted, the people who are buried but also their friends and family who are grieving for them.

For a movie of roughly two hours, the pacing doesn't feel rushed or drawn out, and the character development, while at times a little flat for anyone who aren't the main leads, is still very well done. Sange going from "she's my arch nemesis" and "look how you're going to ruin me" on day one to appreciating her place in his life and wanting to keep and protect her not even a day and a half later is, yes, hilarious, but on a fundamental level it's so heartwarming to see his entire outlook on life change for the better because of her, and in such a short amount of time. It shows how much he really wanted something (someone) to care about this much, a sentiment echoed later by his ailing father. Vice versa, when Xiaowen gets adopted by Sange's friends (which happened through a hilarious turn of events, and for a movie about death, there's way more comedy than expected, or, perhaps, just the right amount to offset everything else) and nominally by Sange himself, she starts letting go of her grandmother and starts opening up, all of it culminating in her telling Sange that she knows he lied, but that's okay, she's not scared anymore because she's got a dad now.

It makes their separation all the more painful when he basically lets her mother (who! surprise! is not dead but just had horrible luck in life and hit rock bottom and went to jail like Sange and just wants to be a good mom now and loves her daughter deeply and means well despite everything and-- well. You get the idea.) kidnap her in the middle of the night. One might be frustrated at the lack of communication from Sange, but when you remember how he never really had a childhood growing up in a funeral house, and how he has inferiority issues and a slew of other problems, his actions become understandable even though still not justified. All's well that ends well though, and they reunite with a scene that had me bawling when I first saw the clip months ago, released as promotional material, and that made me bawl again watching the full scene, entirely attached to both characters.

The cast of the movie is phenomenal. Zhu Yilong has delivered probably his best performance yet, portraying a character entirely different from his body of work and doing it in such a way it feels entirely natural and immersive. In interviews, Liu Jiangjiang mentioned how he wasn't sure about Zhu Yilong playing someone like Sange -- isn't he too handsome? Isn't he too pretty? Isn't he well-known for playing gentlemanly, scholarly, soft-spoken types of characters? And to a certain degree, he's right; Zhu Yilong's entire image is that of a prettyboy actor who, despite being fairly well-known as a good actor beyond his looks, and simply does not get cast as an uncouth rogue like Sange. So, a departure from his previous works for sure but in the best way possible. Zhu Yilong as Sange shows once again how versatile his acting skill is, and what range he has as an actor. When shooting, everyone called him Sange; Han Yan (the producer) even said that once he'd cut his hair and they started shooting in Wuhan, Zhu Yilong wasn't there anymore: he was Sange.

The fact that the entire movie was mainly spoken in Wuhan dialect (Xiaowen mainly spoke in a Sichuan dialect, or Sichuan-accented putonghua) or Wuhan-accented putonghua (they couldn't have the entire movie be in the Wuhan dialect, for viewer's accessibility, so han-pu was the compromise) added a lot of depth to the film as well, really showing the locality and anchoring it in a way most films don't consider. From a personal point of view, it's also just such a breath of fresh air not to hear standardized accents from everyone when it's filmed and takes place in a very specific part of China where of course everyone would more likely speak in the local dialect. Zhu Yilong, a Wuhan native, was said to have added a lot of his own knowledge of Wuhan to Sange's character, from when to speak the pure dialect and when to speak han-pu, to which scenes he'd smoke cigarettes and when to mention something specific to the culture there. All of this shows in how real Sange feels as a character. While he's been known to be meticulous when crafting characters, this one, more than any other role he's played before, is the one that cements his status as character actor.

Yang Enyou, the other lead in this movie, was also amazing. While I generally don't approve of child actors (on moral grounds more so than lack of acting skills or otherwise), the fact of the matter is that as Wu Xiaowen she really was the glue that kept the movie together. It was a joy seeing her on the screen and her acting was convincing and emotionally poignant. For a debut movie, this role really made her shine. Zhu Yilong also treated her the way he thinks Sange would've treated her to help her with acting, and interacted with her in a way that was really sweet, as were the other cast and crew members. I will say that from cast interviews and behind the scenes clips there are things I definitely don't agree with in how they handled having a 7 year old on set, mainly how they intentionally ignored her or made her angry by teasing/bullying her to get her in character. While it's no Shelly Duvall in The Shining type of situation, it still feels needlessly cruel to be mean to a literal child purely for a better shot or a more "real" emotional reaction.

The actors for the side characters also did a great job, all with their own motivations and lives and relationships with each other and outside of the scope of the movie, brought to life (or not, haha) by the cast. I especially loved how every character, no matter how minor, was played with the utmost conviction and with every last bit of heart that the main cast had too. Lighting Up the Stars is a work of love, and the way every single actor brought that to their character shined through.

I also adored that everyone looked like quote-unquote normal people. As with the usage of Wuhan dialect over putonghua, the deliberate choice to cast actors who aren't conventionally attractive like idol dramas and movies (it's why Zhu Yilong's casting made such waves), and instead style everyone to look like someone you could meet on the street is probably an understated but no less important aspect of this film. It brings together everything else about the film as well; Liu Jiangjiang said he wanted to focus on the day-today lives of ordinary citizens, the nitty gritty of everyday life, and the styling of the characters reflects that vision. From Sange's floral shirts to the background characters' colorful (but not distracting, more like the bassline that adds to the symphony of the rest of the film) clothes, everything fits and has that feeling of "oh this really is a movie about normal people" to it. The only person who stands out, then, is Xiaowen's mother, who looks sleek and dresses fashionably, and is immediately branded as an outsider because of it. Even without everything else in the narrative telling the viewer she is different, this visual element tells a whole story in itself. And yet, it's also because she cares so much about Xiaowen that she looks like that, perhaps to leave her past behind where she failed her daughter, but more importantly to show that she can take care of her daughter now: look at her, all dressed up, visible make-up, brand name clothing and all.

Xiaowen and Sange being styled after Nezha and Sun Wukong was also a detail I especially loved. Xiaowen's feral little act, especially near the start of the movie, with her red-tasseled spear and her hair in two buns, drives home her resemblance to Nezha. Sange on the other hand doesn't look like a lot like the Monkey King (although the funeral where he's in opera get-up and starts twirling the staff to protect Xiaowen is incredibly reminiscent of Sun Wukong and his golden-banded staff), the resemblance being more narrative- and dialogue-driven. Their stories mimic those of Nezha and Sun Wukong to a certain degree as well, and there are a lot of jokes and references made to Journey to the West, especially with regard to Sange (memorably, "Are you Sun Wukong, always changing your shape so easily?!" because he changed his mind and wanted to keep Xiaowen by his side after wanting to get rid of her initially).

I'm sure there are things I've missed, things I couldn't think of or that I felt didn't fit in this already too-long review of a film about family -- I haven't even touched on the many dynamics in this movie that aren't the main leads' which I nonetheless truly loved. I'm also sure that there are people who think it was much sillier than I make it out to be, or not as good as I've praised everything from the narrative to the acting to the styling. In the end, though, the message of the film is very clear: if you think you hit rock bottom, adopt a child.


And if none of this managed to convince you: Zhu Yilong strips down to his underwear in this film.

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This one is an insane tear-jerker but also belly-acher

This movie has EVERYTHING.

It made me laugh and made me cry SO many times over just the one and a half hours. My mom cried. My brother cried. It was a crying fest in the theater I was in. No one left their seats until the ending credits were over because of how we were still reeling from our emotions.

The characters made me just fall in love with them and their story. The acting is INCREDIBLE, especially from the little girl. She’s just adorable and thinking of her makes me tear up again lol. Her precious relationship with her father teaches us so many things about what we should be grateful for in life- namely love, life itself, and each other.

Being Chinese, the English title didn’t make sense to me until I watched the movie because the direct translation of the Chinese title 人生大事 is “The Big(gest) Thing In Life.” But “Lighting Up The Stars” makes so much sense and I don’t think I could come up with a better title.

The delve into Sichuan culture specifically was also heartwarming to see on the big screen. I don’t often get to watch Chinese movies so it was really a treat to get to hear the Sichuan accent/dialect and catch a glimpse of life there.

As an ABC, this movie was everything to me. It gave me a peek into a life I would never live, but also made me reflect on the life I DO live.

10/10 on everything. Acting, music, story, production. This one gets all the stars.

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A Very Heartwarming Movie

Watching this movie is just like healing my soul. I can cry and laugh my heart out.

The story is very simple about everyday life as a mortician, the job that most of us consider its taboo and scary. But through this movie, they give us another understanding and its a very meaningful and respectful job.

The actors acted very well, the lead actor Zhu Yilong with his look as Mo Sanmei really blowns my mind. The child actor Yang Enyou as Wu Xiaowen is also brilliant. Their relationship throughout the story will remind us with Monkey king and Neza, as the movie pointed them out clearly such as posters, the two bun of Xiao Wen, the bracelet of Mo Sanmei, and even on their conversation.

The pacing of the story was just right. I can enjoy every scene without rush, well shot and directed. It will be perfect if I can watch it in the big screen because the detail and the lighting in every scene is just right and amazing.

So many life lesson I can learn throughout the movie. I can see new things in the new light. It feels refreshing. I can still feel the warmth of the movie and the message the movie was trying to convey.

Really recommended.

This will be one of my most favourite movie. And sure I will rewatch it. Thanks for the great show.

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Love: the core of us

Why do we watch films? What kind of films do we watch? Our rational logical mind can come up with a lot of points/reasons, of that we can be sure, but sometimes, just sometimes we come across a small piece of work that just touches our heart, makes us immobile for maybe about two hours. This film, is all heart.
How innocent love can be and the power love has over an individual in the purest sense, is captured languidly in this movie. There is nothing more I can add to it by a review. (but as i have to fit the minimum 500 word count, let me just say that if you're dwindling, worried if this is your cup of tea? the answer is yes. This movie is one of those rare ones which transcends all genres, all chalk-marked boxes and compels you to suspend all your intellectualism and forces you to just 'feel')

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Beautiful story and excellence acting!

I am so grateful to have found this film and decided to watch it. A unique experience when watching this, the story is interesting and very warm, and the way it is conveyed is also good, I rarely see someone who works in funeral services in films/dramas so this gave me a new point of view. Crying in most of the scenes :( This film is very good in terms of story and the acting of the actors is also very good, especially the child actresses. ZYL acted very well, bringing his emotions and sadness to the audience. Very worth watching!
"There is nothing more important than death in life"

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Must watch heartfelt

Cinematography is beautiful in alignment with the emotions of the characters. Very comedic and witty screenplay . Personally the best part for me is the child’s and Sans acting . Lovely story ,too cute to resist and heartfelt and at some moments you break into tears so prepare your tissues . The bond between the characters is the highlight it’s just to beautiful and gives an insight on how bonds can still be formed even with different personalities,backgrounds age in short nothing matters more than the ability of your heart to open up . Very good screenplay well directed a must watch with family .

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Movie You Can Finish it With A Smile

Actually, I thought I'd end it after suffering with sadness and misery, but I was at fault. It shows a balanced amount of everything (graving, anger, misunderstanding, joy, love, etc...) and this is the most thing I liked about it.

The relationship growth progress between "San Mei" and "Xiao Wen" is so good and in a normal way, and of course it was funny to watch. the little "Wen Wen" just wanted to get her grandmother back, and "San Mei" just wanted to do his job and pass all the troubles he get through. Slowly they started to be the reason for healing each other wounds and feeling like a real family.

Honestly, I liked everything but I have one complaint, the ending seems rushed! it could be better if they add another 15 min and make it more satisfying. in another hand, still, everything is good and I enjoyed it.

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Bonds beyond blood relation.

Nobody tells a kid how to deal with death. While they are still wrapping their heads around the situation, they hardly grasp the emotions and impact of losing someone close to them.

It wacks your soul, where you see a meaningful and heart warming bond between people who aren't related by blood. The movie evolves around deaths, so can be disturbing and an uneasy watch at times.

It's a rare sight to see ML's job being of funeral service so it adds a unique touch to the story and also how it was inculcate in the movie.

I loved the dynamic between San Mei & Xiao Wen, which was the main highlight?✋?So many moments between them which had me sobbing, I've to say!

The story was heartwarming, and made me sob a bit as well. And the end was wrapped, very well too ♡

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hard-headed kid and a former useless man who just got out of prison turn into a great dad

I randomly picked this movie because I couldn't sleep and didn't know what to watch, but it turned out to be one of the few good decisions I've made in my life. At first, I thought, "Hmm, that kid is so annoying," and "That man is too harsh and doesn't care about anyone else," but I came to love them both deeply.

What I love about this movie is the bond between the characters. The child is overly protective of the people she deeply cares about. Whenever she tried to protect San Mei, I got teary-eyed. Oh, to be loved and protected just like she protected him, despite not being related by blood. You can really see San Mei's development from not liking the kid because she's so annoying, which is valid, to giving the kid everything she wanted. Also, I was so amazed by the kid's acting skills. She's so good at her job, lmao. She's cute when she smiles, you would also feel emotional if she cries, and you would feel mad if she's mad.

I'm not the type of viewer who gets deeply attached to shows, but I was disappointed when it ended. I need more. I want to see them hang out, play, and tease each other.

I might be biased in rating this since I can relate to it, but it's really good if you like seeing a hard-headed kid and a former useless man who just got out of prison turn into a great dad. It's heartwarming to watch someone who didn't care about their life before suddenly find something they want to protect and care about.

Additionally, the movie touches on themes of death, as the main character's job involves working with dead bodies. While we often see this as dirty or disgusting, I think it's an honorable job that deserves appreciation.

So, if you're looking for a good movie that will make you cry and has a great story, you should check this out. You won't regret it. This is a good movie about life and death.

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