Only the River Flows
Seen it?2023 | 102 min | Thriller, Drama, Crime
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (89% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had almost no lasting buzz and soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime-drama fans and anyone who likes to be kept guessing. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense, dark and gritty.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 42 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in Chinese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Dedicated police detective Ma Zhe is tasked with solving a series of brutal murders in a rural Chinese town. As pressure mounts from his superiors, a hasty arrest is made, but while his colleagues celebrate, several clues push Ma Zhe deeper into a desperate investigation of his own.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
89% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
6.5 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
Nominated for 1 Cannes award.
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$43 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 21K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Wei Shujun
- Zhu YilongMa Zhe
- Chloe MaayanBai Jie
- Hou TianlaiChief of Police
- Tong LinkaiXie
- Kang ChunleiMadman
- Wang JianyuXu Liang
- Moxi ZishiWang Hong
- Liu BaishaQian Ling
- Cao YangGranny Four
- Zhou QingyunBoy by the River