The Film "Beijing Bicycle"

On November 18, I attended the film “Beijing Bicycle.” The film tells a story of two young men, each from different social status, yearning for acceptance and success. For Guei, a bicycle represents a way to work, earn income, and survive and for Jian a bicycle would allow him to fit in with his friends and be “cool.”

The story starts off with Guei receiving a job as a mail carrier and one of the major benefits of the job was receiveing a mountain bike to do his job sufficiently and fast. His job started off rocky and it got worse for him when his precious bike was stolen. Guei was fired from work until he is able to get the bike back. Guei was motivated and determined to find his bicycle even when the chances of finding it were slim.

Jian purchased Guei’s bicycle from a flea market with money he stole from his parents. After being promised a bicycle for years, Jian was no longer going to wait for his father to follow through with his word. In need of fitting in with his friends, he committed immoral acts.

Eventually, Guei discovers Jian with his bike and steals it back but Guei is caught and beaten by Jian’s friends. The boys, one day, have another quarrel over the bicycle and come up with a compromise; they will share the bike between the two of them. They both realize the value the bike has to the other and they come to respect each other.

The film concludes with a violent scene; the two young men find themselves being beaten by a gang of young men. Not only are they being beaten, but damage is done to the bike. Guei cries out in pain, to leave the bicycle alone. You really see how much this bike means to Guei; he does not care so much that he is battered, he just wants his bike to be all right. For the young men, the bicycle provides an escape to better things and opportunities and it is more valuable that there health.