When we are born, we are already one day closer to death. It’s a grim saying, but one rooted in truth. Every hour and second on this earth is time we will never get back, as we only have one chance at life. The media has often explored death, whether in The Bucket List, Coco, or Ikiru. The latest film from Chinese director Chen Sicheng—known for his work on the Detective Chinatown series – Being Towards Death is a comedy-drama that explores the inevitability of death while also reminding us that enjoying every moment we have left is something truly special.
Xiaobing (Jiang Long) is at an all-time low. After the passing of his aunt, he is left with no living family members and is drowning in debt. He heads to the roof of a hospital to end it all. However, even that doesn’t go entirely to plan, as his suicide attempt fails. Needing to find work to help pay off his debt, Director E (Tian Yu) offers him a position as a caregiver in Ward 10. There, he is tasked with completing a study and asking the patients a few questions. However, while working in the ward, he discovers that joy can blossom in the most unexpected places.
Personally, life is morally and emotionally complex for any piece of media to fully capture. Films like The Last Dance and Another World explore only slivers of that complexity to tell their powerful stories. The same applies to Being Towards Death, a film that shows how, despite death looming over events like a vulture waiting to swoop in, happiness and joy can still flourish, and we can continue to appreciate the moments we have left in this world.
This is best explored through the characters of Director Jia (Wang Zichuan) and his partner, Zhen Ai (Qi Xi). A filmmaker whose vision is too bold for many to understand, Jia spends his final moments writing a script that could be turned into a feature. However, the script is repeatedly rejected, largely because it is not particularly strong. Xiaobing uses Jia’s passion for his craft to suggest that, instead, he should make a documentary about the patients in Ward 10 (which also allows Xiaobing to ask the questions he needs to as part of his job). The way Director Jia takes a simple idea and expands upon it with such vigour and passion—and the way Zhen Ai recognises and supports that passion—is nothing short of magical.
The documentary also allows us, as the audience, to explore more of the characters and understand aspects of them that were previously reduced to throwaway gags. A great example of this is the young girl, Xiao-Xiao Bing (performed expertly by Ye Quanxi). Despite having a very similar name to the protagonist, Xiaobing initially believes she is nothing more than a liar, claiming that her mother is the famous actress Zhang Ziyi and that her brother is the idol, Lay Zhang. However, as we learn more about her backstory, it becomes clear that these lies are a mask she uses to cope with trauma. In essence, they allow her to remain a child, rather than being defined as a victim of her circumstances.
This idea of trauma hiding beneath the surface also applies to our protagonist, Xiaobing. Jiang Long’s performance is immaculate, and while not a terminally ill patient. He is still dealing with the loss of his aunt, who essentially raised him after he lost his parents, taking on the role of a mother in his life. All he wants is to honour her memory and become someone she would be proud of.
For me, this resonates on a personal level. As someone whose grandmother was more of a parental figure—essentially meaning I had two mothers—this idea of ensuring that those we love are remembered and honoured after they are gone is deeply powerful. However, Being Towards Death suggests something even more meaningful: that Xiaobing, through becoming the caretaker of the ward, has already grown into someone his aunt would be proud of, as it reflects the same compassion and care she once showed him.
There is more to the film than drama, however, and that is its comedy. From the outset, the film features rapid-fire jokes, ranging from out-of-control robot nurses to the overly dramatic nature of Xiaobing’s suicide attempt, which becomes a surprisingly humorous beat despite the seriousness of the situation. Humour is baked into the very seams of the film, proving that even in the darkest of places, joy and laughter can still exist. One scene, in which an abusive husband enters the fray, begins as a moment of intense anxiety but quickly transforms into something that will have audiences laughing out loud with genuine delight.
Chen Sicheng’s over-the-top approach to comedy—also seen in his Detective Chinatown films—may be polarising. Personally, I found that it perfectly contrasts with the film’s more serious dramatic elements. Life can come crashing down, but it can also make you feel as though you’re floating among the clouds. In addition, the film feels like a love letter to Chinese cinema, as it features a number of cameo appearances from renowned Chinese filmmakers that are truly a delight to spot.
This also feels like Chen Sicheng’s most mature and thematically rich work to date. Detective Chinatown 1900 showcased that he could handle crowd-pleasing blockbuster cinema with precision, and this film feels like a natural evolution of that work. The use of handheld photography makes the audience feel as though we are in the ward with the patients, rather than merely observing events from a distance. However, one aspect that hasn’t improved since his last feature is how long it takes for the film to find its footing. It takes a good 15–20 minutes before you fully settle into what the film is trying to achieve and understand its direction.
Being Towards Death is the kind of film that leaves you feeling warm on the inside while, on the outside, you’re an emotional mess with tears streaming down your face. It is a truly powerful film with a beautiful message at its core. I was a wreck by the time the credits rolled, and I do not doubt that many others will feel the same.
★★★★ 1/2
Out Now in selected UK Odeon Cinemas / Jiang Long, Wang Zichuan, Qi Xi, Ye Quanxi, Tian Yu / Dir: Chen Sicheng / Trinity CineAsia / 12A
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