Zhang Yimou is a great director - in particular, his earlier movies are awesome. Raise the Red Lantern and The Story of Qiu Ju are two of my favorites. I like his later work much less - big budget affairs like Hero (although I love Jet Li) and House of Flying Daggers. His earlier stuff had more heart and less flash. FYI - I was trying to figure out where I had seen the son in this movie before, and I suddenly remembered he was the crooked cop in A Woman, A Gun and a Noodle Shop. I didn't like that one much either. The review is below somewhere.
This one, The Road Home, has too much heart. It is a sappy love story (romantic love, familial love) that I found a bit tiresome. His cinematographer is fantastic, though, and the detail about Chinese country life 70 years ago is amazing. I am glad I watched this just for the very quiet scene involving a traveling pottery repairman. He repaired a pot, and it was beautifully shot, plus I loved watching it. It was fascinating.
Zhang Yimou used to date / live with / be married (I'm not sure which) to Gong Li. She is considered to be one of the best actresses in the world and one of the most beautiful. While directing Zhang Ziyi in a movie, he fell in love with the younger actress and left Gong Li for her (or so the story goes). It is possible that this is that movie. I don't want to research and find out - too discouraging. Zhang Ziyi is fine, but nothing special. She's no Gong Li.
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