FILM-FORWARD.COMReviews of Recent Independent, Foreign, & Documentary Films in Theaters and DVD/Home Video
BLIND SHAFT
With a main character uttering, "now only money f------ matters," and the anthem "Long Live
Socialism" being sung, karaoke-style, in a whorehouse, it's not too surprising that Li Yang's
debut feature is banned in his homeland, China. As depicted here, this is a country where labor is
cheap and expendable. Two emotionally detached coal miners, Tang (Wang Shuangbao) and
Song (Li Yixiang), run a homicidal scam involving an unsuspecting co-worker, their corrupt
employer and blackmail. While in a city looking for work after a lucrative grift, Tang spots a
hick, and potential victim, in a crowd. The rube, Yuan (Wang Baoqiang), is only 16, hoping to
earn money to send his sister to school. Tang convinces a recalcitrant Song to go along with their
usual plan; it's easy money. Yuan is given an alias, made Song's nephew, and has two years
added to his age. They all find mining work far in the country, where in their shack food is hung
from the ceiling, out of the reach of rats. However, Tang and Song's plan begins to falter when
Tang accuses Song of softness toward their prey. He denies the accusation, countering, "If I feel
for him, who's feeling for me." This simple, uplifting morality tale is similar in its sparse
style and empathetic point of view to the films of Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne (La
Promesse and Le Fils). The deliberately paced film, with understated performances
(in fact, there's a moment when you can't tell if Song is grifting or being honest), is rich with
ambiance, painting a memorable and lurid portrayal of China's economic boom. KT
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