Based on Lisa See's titular bestseller, Wayne Wang's lushly melodramatic tale revolves around two pairs of Chinese women in different centuries, linked by the concept of "laotong," a traditional bond between unrelated young girls that makes them “sisters” for life. As the present-day story begins, confident Shanghai financial whiz Nina (Li Bingbing), who is being transferred to New York, arrives at the hospital bedside of her estranged longtime friend Sophia (Gianna Jun), who lies comatose following a bicycle accident. During her vigil, Nina discovers a manuscript by Sophia telling the allegedly ancestral story of 7-year-old Lily and Snow Flower. Pragmatic Lily (also played by Bingbing) eventually marries a wealthy, emotionally remote man, and fragile Snow Flower (Jun) becomes the wife of an abusive country butcher; the two women exchange letters that are secretly written in the folds of a white silk fan. While See's novel was about lifelong female friendship in 19th-century China, the screenwriters here have added the parallel contemporary story, resulting in a contrived, disjointed film that will likely disappoint those who have read the book—as well as those who haven't. Optional. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include “The Sworn Sisterhood of the Secret Fan” making-of featurette (29 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for an uneven adaptation.] (S. Granger)
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Fox, 137 min., in English & Mandarin w/English subtitles, PG-13, DVD: $29.98, Blu-ray: $39.99, Nov. 1 Volume 26, Issue 6
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
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