Review: ‘A Thousand Years of Good Prayers’

A THOUSAND YEARS OF GOOD PRAYERSÂ  (Magnolia Pictures)

Cast & Crew:

Henry O… Mr. Shi
Feihong Yu… Yilan
Vida Ghahremani… Madam
directed by Wayne Wang

A Thousand Years of Good Prayers tells the story of Mr. Shi, an elderly Chinese, and his American immigrant daughter, Yilan. It is a clash of culture and language, as the two of them try to reconcile their differences.  

Communication is key in this wonderful, intimate drama. A single conversation can consist of equal parts Mandarin Chinese, Persian, and English. Despite the language barriers, these characters come to understand each other and we understand them. That this is even possible is a testament to the direction of Wayne Wang, and to the performances of Henry O, Feihong Yu and Vida Ghahremani.

Henry O carries much of the film, and he turns in a performance that is both touching and humorous. If you enjoyed the relationship between the English-speaking hitman and the French-speaking Haitian in Ghost Dog,  then you’ll have an idea of what to expect as Mr. Shi wanders the American landscape.

This film is a welcome return to form for director Wayne Wang, who dazzled the indie scene with films like ‘The Joy Luck Club,’ ‘Smoke’ and ‘The Center of the World.’

A Thousand Years of Good Prayers  opens in New York on Sept. 19 and Sept. 26 in Los Angeles.

[rating:4/5]