Deeply moving film that is rich with metaphors and uses them to great effect, centrally: language barriers and imprisonment represent Mr. Takata's failure to bond with his son. The director's only mis-step is the use of superfluous voice overs to explain things already being said with images.

"This one's a long, slow ride down an all too familiar road." - Jeremiah Kipp

After a pair of highly successful martial arts flicks, Zhang Yimou returns to his roots: simple comic dramas along the lines of Not One Less and To Live. He's not breaking any new ground here, but it's a fine piece, touching on connectedness and fatherhood and cultural barriers. Great acting all around, and the photography of rural China is lovely. The guy who gets stuck with the interpreter job is really funny. The film does tug on the heartstrings a little too hard at times.

When I grow up, I'm going to be a Chinese eight year old.

It's a good thing I'm not a crier because this movie wrecks some pretty emotional shop.

Riding Alone... not a great film, but it has its own special magic, especially in its second half. In this film, as in Not One Less, all of the actors except for the lead are amateurs. Riding Alone... has beautiful cinematography (the seldom photographed Yunan province), and a good script with universal themes involving fathers and sons, lost chances, a physical and spiritual journey in the direction of understanding and redemption.

Touching yet restrained. A fine piece of modern culture/paternal based drama.