Honour and corruption collide in Ash is Purest White, the latest from writer/director Jia Zhangke, which follows the rise and fall — and rise — of a gangster’s girlfriend against the backdrop of change and modernization in China. Tao Zhao (Jia’s wife and frequent collaborator) stars as Qiao. In the opening scene, set in 2001, she says little but sees everything as she struts through a club run by her boyfriend Bin (Fan Liao). Like Jia’s last film, 2015’s Mountains May Depart, this one features a three-part structure, with the final segment set in the present. Qiao’s determination to grift herself back into wealth is pretty funny, and there are dramatic moments that will stay with viewers long after the film ends.

Source: National Post March 21, 2019 18:56 UTC