Audiences fall for arresting whodunit
Thought-provoking murder mystery tackles societal preconceptions about marriage and traditional gender roles, Xu Fan reports.
Sandra finds herself accused of murdering her husband, spurred by several suspicious pieces of evidence and a recording of a heated argument the day before Samuel's death. A year later, during the trial, the couple's marriage is scrutinized, exposing harsh and intimate truths.
For many Chinese fans, the appeal of the movie, which has already obtained a high score of 8.6 points out of 10 on the popular review aggregator Douban, lies in its ability to provoke in-depth discussion about gender inequality and stereotypes toward women, according to Beijing-based film critic Yuan Yun'er.
During the couple's argument, Samuel criticizes Sandra for not fulfilling her responsibilities as a mother and wife, which he believes has left him trapped, educating and spending all his time with Daniel, forcing him to set aside his own dream of becoming a writer. Sandra angrily argues that his difficulties in time management and writing efficiency breed insecurity, prompting him to unjustly point fingers at her.
Dai Jinhua, a film scholar and professor at Peking University, describes the reversal of traditional roles for women and men, as demonstrated in the argument, as a very poignant point.