It's a 2.5-star movie for me, but I give it 3.5 stars because of the original novel.
‘Sentiments like water’ (the original script of this movie) is one of my favorite Wang Xiaobo's novels. Wang Xiaobo's writing is deeply affected by Michel Foucault's theory of power, discipline and punish.
In my understanding, choosing to be abused is a way of regaining freedom from the power of society (because it is an expression of free will).
In the movie, by giving himself to Xiao Shi (the policeman, the symbol of power), A Lan freed himself. So this movie’s not only about forbidden love, it’s also about 'the willingness to be abused', about Power and Free will.
