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Not One Less Details

1999 DVD Certificate U.gif
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 1560 members

Teacher Gao loves the students in his poor village and is devoted to educating them in the hope of their greater futures. When he is called away to tend to his dying mother for a month, the Mayor calls in an inexperienced 13 year-old replacement, Wei Minzhi; much to Teacher Gao's dismay. Teacher Gao cannot stand the thought of .. Read more

Starring Wei Minzhi, Zhang Huike
Director Yimou Zhang
Genres Drama, World Cinema

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Not One Less

Teacher Gao loves the students in his poor village and is devoted to educating them in the hope of their greater futures. When he is called away to tend to his dying mother for a month, the Mayor calls in an inexperienced 13 year-old replacement, Wei Minzhi; much to Teacher Gao's dismay. Teacher Gao cannot stand the thought of losing anymore students: he has already lost twelve to ever-increasing attrition, and he promises Wei an extra 10 yuan if she succeeds in ensuring that upon his return, there will be not one less. Wei's difficult mission to fulfill Teacher Gao's wish and her own concern for the welfare of the children begins.

Starring Wei Minzhi, Zhang Huike
Director Yimou Zhang
Studio SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 1 hr 42 mins
Certificate DVD Certificate U.gif
Genres Drama, World Cinema
Language Mandarin
Subtitles Arabic, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norweigan, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish
Released DVD: 17 Sep 2001
Production year: 1999
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (6) of Not One Less

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  • 4 stars out of 5

    Shades of The Story of Qiu Ju colour this sentimental but engaging drama from director Zhang Yimou. Wryly humanist but subtly political, the winner of the Golden Lion at Venice starts out in a poor village school whose enrolment is more important than its teaching. However, once 13-year-old stand-in teacher Wei Minzhi sets off to retrieve the runaway student who can deprive her of a bonus for keeping all 28 charges in class, the focus is that of a powerful contemporary urban drama. Made with a non-professional cast, the movie includes a sublime performance from Wei, and remains heart-warming without losing the power of its message.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006
  • 1 stars out of 4

    Zhang Yimou coaxes good performances from a cast of non-professionals in a small-scale movie that begins as a vivid portrait of modern China before succumbing to sentimentality, complete with a plug for Coca-Cola, and a contrived, feel-good ending.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
    • Posted 02 Mar 2006

  • Most helpful member's review of Not One Less

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  • 19 out of 19 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Not one less

    Why this movie did not achieve world wide renown is a mystery, because

    it is one of the most touching, honest films i've ever seen. It has a vivid sense of place - a dirt-poor, dusty,

    forgotten village in China's

    mountains where a piece of chalk in the run-down school is a precious

    commodity.

    The film focuses on the trials and challenges of a 13 year old teacher

    with an unshakeable sense of duty who has to teach an unruly class. A

    wonderful adventure unfolds, involving ultimately an entire television

    station, and to cap it all the film is acted by amateurs.

    This is a haunting classic of world cinema.

      • Professor Cornelieus from London
      • Posted 03 Nov 2003 15:38

  • Most recent members' review of Not One Less

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Brilliantly beautiful, very heartwarming

    I have given myself a little project to watch all of Yimou Zhang's films and this was the first one to arrive, and boy am I glad it was. This simple but beautiful piece of work opens us up to the hearts of the less fortunate. It proves that poverty can change the direction of our lives but never kill the spirit. The spirit of Wei is uplifting and gave me the inspiration to put aside my own trivial worries of everyday life. Powerfull and moving and brought me to tears. Brilliant.

    I'm looking forward to watch my next Yimou Zhang film

    Enjoy this little beauty

      • A customer from London
      • Posted 15 Oct 2007 11:20

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42
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      • Teacher Gao loves the students in his poor village and is devoted to educating them in the hope of their greater futures. When he is called away to tend to his dying mother for a month, the Mayor ...