The Spring Festival season has entered the second half. " Article 20 ", directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Lei Jiayin , Ma Li , Zhao Liying, Gao Ye, etc., has achieved a single-day box office reverse for three consecutive days with its relatively stable reputation. fall. According to the Beacon Professional Edition, as of 7:30 on February 15, the film's box office reached 858 million, surpassing "Bear Infested: Reverse Time and Space" to third place in the single-day box office. Maoyan Professional Edition raised its forecast for the film’s total box office in Mainland China to 2.064 billion.
"Article 20" refers to Article 20 of the Criminal Law, the legal provisions on legitimate defense. The story unfolds from the busy day of Han Ming, a temporary prosecutor played by Lei Jiayin. When he reached middle age, Han Ming worked hard to become a positive person, but at the critical moment, his career and family fell into a mess.
Han Ming's son injured the bully in order to stop school bullying, and the other parent demanded prosecution if he did not apologize; the defendant Han Ming was once in charge of the case was beaten to stop the obscene behavior on the bus, and when he fought back, he caused the other party He was convicted of intentional injury after breaking a bone. After he was released from prison, he continued to appeal. The case he was following was complicated. In order to protect his wife from being violated again, the client stabbed the perpetrator to death and was sued for intentional injury causing death.
The coexistence of laughter and tears is the greatest experience of watching "Article 20", and both laughter and tears are presented in an ultimate way. On one side, the husband and wife played by Lei Jiayin and Ma Li quarreled and quarreled, misunderstandings followed misunderstandings, conflicts escalated, and the laughter escalated, constantly amusing the audience; on the other side, Han Ming and his colleagues started to deal with difficult cases, and the lives of the parties involved were hanging by a thread. Faced with love and... The dilemma of law, not knowing how to advance or retreat, the audience is also tortured by the soul: Put yourself in your shoes, how should you choose?
Professor Luo Xiang of China University of Political Science and Law was deeply moved after reading "Article 20". He said that it was because of "Article 20" that he embarked on the path of public legal education. Cases related to self-defense, such as the "Kunshan Anti-Murder Case", can often trigger huge controversy at the public level. Luo Xiang believes that the essence of legitimate defense is to empower the people and encourage them to fight against illegal infringements: "The law does not need to give in to the law."
The law cannot give in to the law. This is exactly the issue that is closely related to everyone wrapped in the comedy shell of "Article 20". The film does not slide into excessive jokes, nor does it become heavy and sensational. Zhang Yimou handles the balance between the joy of daily life and serious legal issues more appropriately.
There are few directors as diligent and productive as Zhang Yimou. Counting from the Spring Festival last year, three films, "Man Jiang Hong", " Solid as a Rock " and "Article 20", have been released to the audience in one year, and each film The themes and types vary. Lei Jiayin, who has collaborated with Zhang Yimou four times since "Above the Cliff" and whose roles are getting more and more important, said that Zhang Yimou is a director who is constantly seeking breakthroughs. Although he is over 70 years old, he studies every day and insists on walking for five years. Kilometers, while hiking, I have to take notes: "He wants to be a better version of himself, which makes me want to be a better person."
At the Shanghai premiere of "Article 20" held recently, Lei Jiayin It was revealed that Zhang Yimou's working methods are different in each film. For example, "Sturdy as a Rock" is performed strictly according to the script, while "Article 20" has more improvisational scenes. There are several scenes where he and Ma Li are on the set. Improvisation. Lei Jiayin said that the most interesting and challenging aspect of the film is the balance between realism and comedy: "What the film wants to say is that no matter how rational you are and how many truths you understand, life is a mess and a place full of chicken feathers. . When the director handles many scenes, what he wants is to let the audience see the absurdity of this kind of life."
Lei Jiayin and Ma Li's natural and relaxed improvisational performances added a lot to the film, and their extremely dense dialogue and lines adjusted the audience. Movie atmosphere. At the Shenyang premiere of "Article 20", Ma Li shared with the audience her understanding of her character Li Maojuan. She believed that Li Maojuan embodies the excellent qualities of Northeastern women: humor, strength, bravery, and kindness.She enthusiastically takes care of the families of those involved in her husband Han Ming's work, and also resolves the disputes involving her son Han Yuchen for his bravery in school bullying. During the filming, Ma Li asked herself what she would do if she were Li Maojuan: "The answer is I might do the same to give my child justice. This is the instinct of a mother."
When communicating with the audience after the screening, Lei Jiayin revealed that when experiencing life in Langfang and communicating with prosecutors, they all hoped that the main creator could shape A real and vivid image of the prosecutor. The prosecutors in the film, Han Ming played by Lei Jiayin, Lu Lingling played by Gao Ye, or Tian Jian played by Wang Xiao, all have the joys and sorrows of ordinary people, and no one is perfect. As Luo Xiang said: "There are no rational people in the law, only ordinary people of flesh and blood. We are all imperfect ordinary people, so we must immerse ourselves in the defender's position and don't be too harsh on the defender."
This time It was Gao Ye who collaborated with Zhang Yimou again after 14 years in the movie "Hawthorn Tree Love". The character Lu Lingling played this time also has a similar side to herself: "For the sake of justice, she is a bit of a dick, a bit of a tiger, and a bit of a fool." Gao Ye admitted that the idealism in the character is what attracts him.
Lei Jiayin said that fairness and justice are what everyone pursues, but reality is sometimes very skinny, and there is some unfairness in life, so there are movies like this that make people yearn for, help everyone understand the law, and urge the progress of the law: "The film is not just about self-defense, but more about whether people dare to stand up and stop problems such as school bullying. The progress of the law can make more people willing to stand up, and the law will also These people who come forward can be protected."
