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Poster for Not One Less

Not One Less

Seen it?

1999 | 106 min | Drama

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (96% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had almost no lasting buzz. 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 anyone who loves a strong drama. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 46 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in Chinese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

Set in the People's Republic of China during the 1990s, the film centers on a 13-year-old substitute teacher, Wei Minzhi, in the Chinese countryside. Called in to substitute for a village teacher for one month, Wei is told not to lose any students.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 73 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.5 out of 10

  • AwardsSolid

    Won 1 Venice award: Venice Film Festival: Golden Lion. Plus 17 other awards.

  • Reach & staying powerSolid

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactWeak

    About 18K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Zhang Yimou

  • Wei MinzhiWei Minzhi
  • Zhang HuikeZhang Huike
  • Tian ZhendaVillage Chief
  • Gao EnmanTeacher Gao
  • Sun ZhimeiSun Zhimei
  • Feng YuyingTV Receptionist
  • Li FanfanTV Host
  • Zhang YichangMr. Zhang
  • Zhanqing XuBrick Factory Owner
  • Liu HanzhiZhang Huike's Mother