Dark Matter

Based on actual events, Dark Matter stars Liu Ye as Liu Xing, a brilliant Chinese cosmology student who is accepted into a prestigious American university to study under his idol, professor Jacob “Call me Jake” Resier (Aidan Quinn). When Liu's own brilliant and radical ideas challenge his pompous mentor's theories, however, Liu falls from favor, leading to a tragedy that played out in real life in 1991 at the University of Iowa. This 2007 film (shelved in the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre) marks the feature film directorial debut of internationally renowned theatre and opera director Chen Shi-zheng. Unfortunately, like Liu, the director at times seems like a fish out of water (a scene in which Liu and his peers visit a Western ghost town is particularly heavy-handed). Dark Matter initially works well, effectively conveying Liu's culture shock, while also capturing the university politics and petty jealousies that put a promising future at risk. But the film falters during the second half as Liu becomes disgruntled and his letters home to his parents begin to take on dark and ironic portents (“I will bring honor to the family”). Meryl Streep, as ever, is in a class by herself as Joanna, a university donor who takes the Chinese students under her maternal wing (no doubt her presence helped to get this film produced). Not a necessary purchase. (D. Liebenson)