Movie "The Beneficiary": See the shadow of the audience's reality

Stills from the movie "The Beneficiary"

The movie "Beneficiary" has been warm-up for a long time, but until the release, it still gives people a feeling of lack of hot spots, dapeng and Liu Yan, the old pair of screen partners, now seem to be less able to easily stir the audience's visual nerves, so that the publicists can only take their photo "couple shirts" as an article, creating a topic that is really "cheap". The story of "The Beneficiary" is not new: two men who are forced into a corner by fate try to leverage the life of a female network anchor to leverage a huge insurance payment, but the plan is variable and ultimately fails. The role played by Dapeng who was "forced to embark on the road of crime" also has a lot of similarities with the film "Desperate" that he starred in before... In short, people's curiosity about this movie is really limited, after all, the film that Dapeng and Liu Yan cooperated with is just what everyone thinks.

However, after the release of the film, the viewers all believe that "The Beneficiary" is a work that condenses the conscience of the creators. The film is the feature film debut of young director Shen Ao, and it is also the third commercial film masterpiece launched by Ning Hao and his "Bad Monkey 72 Change Film Project" after "Embroidered Spring Knife 2: Shuluo Battlefield" and "I Am Not a Medicine God". Although it does not have the battle of "Embroidered Spring Knife 2: Shura Battlefield" or the ambition of "I Am Not a Medicine God", it is sincere enough, which is particularly scarce in the current impetuous film market. More importantly, Dapeng and Liu Yan completely "jumped out" of the previous paradigm in the film, which is both familiar and unfamiliar.

The biggest similarity between Dapeng and Liu Yan, the screen partners, is that their achievements are always accompanied by a flood of questions and criticisms. In 2012, the little-known Dapeng became an overnight hit with the web drama "Di Si Men", and "Di Si Men" also became the first self-made drama in the Chinese video industry to make a profit solely by its own ability. However, when he gathered his ability to create a paragraph into the theatrical film "Pancake Man", the original tried-and-true creative routine was no longer in mind, and the film fell into the question of "excessive vulgarity" and "consumption fans". The next film "The Sewing Machine Band" is in a slightly better situation, but it is still labeled as "selling feelings". People's doubts about Dapeng, in the final analysis, on the one hand, are often harsh on the romantic narrative of "di si also has dreams"; on the other hand, they always have a contemptuous attitude towards grassroots artists who come out of online videos. The merciless sword of the market pierced through the glamorous façade they had painstakingly propped up, leaving no trace of affection. But from the film "Desperate Risk" to "Beneficiary", we can see that Dapeng's drama path has undergone a great change, although it is still the story of "Di Si Struggle", but it is no longer "reality magic", but strives to truly present the joys and sorrows of small people, no longer "nonsense" funny, but began to play with the "black humor" under the real situation, so that the small people also exude a tragic atmosphere, and the bridge section in the film in which Wu Hai returns home drunk to face Yue Miaomiao's back and reveals his heart, which can be called the highlight of the whole work.

Dapeng once confessed that he liked Stephen Chow's works very much, and Chow's works also deeply influenced him, perhaps he did try to be like Stephen Chow on the road of comedy creation, but "The Beneficiary" gave another version of Dapeng, that is, to unload all the baggage on himself - those things that had made him. "Di Si" is no longer a label and a persona attached to him for entertainment, but a real character, who lives in the reality of the moment. Such a Roc is less topical, but undoubtedly more convincing.

A playful role in "Beneficiary" is Yue Miaomiao, played by Liu Yan, Yue Miaomiao, who is a small anchor on a live broadcast platform, was born in a small town, her father was seriously ill, her brother was not angry, and the burden of the family's life was pressed on her weak body. She has been nearly confused, has no knowledge, and has no special skills, she can only choose to play silly and cute in front of the computer camera in a simple rental house, and occasionally play a little "edge ball" to win the tips of fans. "Beneficiaries" focuses on the emerging group of network anchors in society, and tries to enter their hearts, understand their lives, and think about their value to society. The film even borrows directly from real events such as "teenagers spend their parents' savings to tip anchors". It should be said that Yue Miaomiao embodies the spiritual character that a realistic movie should have. Liu Yan's interpretation of Yue Miaomiao is three points, and she is live-streaming the passage of her own mental journey while removing makeup, which can be described as touching and heartfelt, which is another highlight of the film. Especially thinking about Liu Yan's life and career experience in recent years, it is not difficult to find that the role of Yue Miaomiao is to a large extent a reflection of Liu Yan himself. After experiencing the highlights of life and a brief silence, liu yan learned to express life by entering the role.

In addition to Dapeng and Liu Yan, the most noteworthy thing about "The Beneficiary" is undoubtedly the young director's bid for the Olympic Games. Many people have seen his award-winning short films "River Dragon River Gang", "Tide Chasing Waves" and "I Am Not Brave" shot a few years ago, these three short films have different themes, but they can be well controlled, and people can't help but sigh at the openness of the director's thinking and the breadth of emotions. Despite Ning Hao's presence, "The Beneficiary" is clearly a story that was realized by the Olympic bid. We can vaguely see an ordinary young creator deliberating on the script all night and running up and down the shooting scene. His efforts are particularly touching.

Of course, the problem of the film itself does not need to be denied: the shaping of Wu Hai's situation is somewhat singular, constantly guiding his actions to the dilemma of "only so", some too strong; the role of Yue Miaomiao, on the basis of a relatively rich background construction, does not further shape it into a female image that meets the atmosphere of the times and the expectations of society, but is too idealistic, and even some male centrism, which is really regrettable... But in any case, for Dapeng, Liu Yan or the young Olympic bid, "Beneficiary" is a symbolic work, which means both "letting go of the past" and "controlling the future". For the audience, "The Beneficiary" is far more valuable than some "popcorn movies" suspended above life, because it illuminates the shadow of our reality.

(The author is an associate researcher at the Institute of Film and Television, China Academy of Arts)

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