One Second
Seen it?2020 | 104 min | Drama
Saturday Specialearly ratingWhy it’s a Saturday Special
Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it made about 9 times its budget, despite almost no lasting buzz. A strong pick for the weekend.
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 44 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in Chinese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
A movie fan escapes from a labour camp during the Chinese Cultural Revolution and strikes up a relationship with a homeless female vagabond.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 79 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.3 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
4 wins and 7 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$11 million worldwide on a $1 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 16K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Zhang Yimou
- Zhang YiFugitive
- Liu HaocunOrphan Liu
- Fan WeiMr. Movie
- Li YanYang He
- Yang TiechengWorker
- Li XiaochuanCook
- Yu YangTruck Driver
- Wang BingRestaurant Waiter
- Cao RuiMr. Movie's Son
- Zhang ShaoboLittle Boy Liu