A Cool Fish
A Cool Fish (Chinese: 无名之辈; pinyin: Wú Míng Zhī Bèi) is a 2018 Chinese comedy drama film directed and co-written by Rao Xiaozhi, and starring Chen Jianbin, Ren Suxi, Pan Binlong, and Zhang Yu.[2][3] The film tells the story of several nobodies, including a cop-turned-security guard Ma Xiaoyong, his sister Ma Jiaqi, and two thieves Li Haigen and Hu Guangsheng.[4] The film premiered in China on November 16, 2018.[5][6]
| A Cool Fish | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Traditional Chinese | 無名之輩 |
| Simplified Chinese | 无名之辈 |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Wú Míng Zhī Bèi |
| Directed by | Rao Xiaozhi |
| Written by | Rao Xiaozhi Lei Zhilong |
| Produced by | Liang Lin |
| Starring | Chen Jianbin Ren Suxi Pan Binlong Zhang Yu |
| Cinematography | Li Jian |
| Edited by | Derek Hui |
| Music by | Deng Ouge |
Production company | Emperor Motion Pictures |
| Distributed by | Emperor Motion Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 108 minutes |
| Country | China |
| Languages | Southwestern Mandarin, Sichuanese, Chongqinghua |
| Box office | $90.1 million[1] |
Plot
In a seemingly normal day in a small mountain town, a pair of lowly robbers, a destitute security guard, a physically handicapped but tough-tongued woman, as well as a series of minor characters living on different tracks of society are being thrown together by mistake, because of a lost old gun and robbery occurring that day. Scene of absurd comedy and cause and effect tragedy ensue.
Cast
- Chen Jianbin as Ma Xianyong, a cop-turned-security guard on the construction site.
- Ren Suxi as Ma Jiaqi, younger sister of Ma Xianyong, a quadriplegic.
- Pan Binlong as Li Haigen, nicknamed Big Head, thief.
- Zhang Yu as Hu Guangsheng, nicknamed Bra (short for Cobra), thief.
- Ma Yinyin as Zhenzhen, a masseuse.
- Wang Yanhui as Gao Ming, a bankrupt real estate developer.
- Cheng Yi as Liu Wenhong, Gao Ming's lover.
- Ning Huanyu as Gao Xiang, Gao Ming's son.
- Lu Kung-wei as Wang Shuncai, Ma Jiaqi's landlord.
- Deng Enxi as Ma Yiyi, Ma Xianyong's daughter.
- Fan Xiang as Ren Xiaochong, police captain.
- Xie Bo as Bo Zai.
Production
The film is Rao Xiaozhi's second feature.[7]
Soundtrack
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A Cool Fish (无名之辈)" (Opening theme) | Silence Wang, Chen Huan | Chen Huan | Silence Wang | |
| 2. | "Wait a Second (等一等)" (Ending theme) | Fan Chong | Fan Chong | Ren Suxi | |
| 3. | "Hu Guangsheng (胡广生)" (Promotional song) | Ren Suxi | Ren Suxi | Ren Suxi | |
| 4. | "Nameless Love (无名之爱)" (Propaganda song) | Yang Bingyin | Lei Zhilong | Cheng Yi, Ma Yinyin |
Release
The film was released on November 16, 2018, in mainland China, and on November 22, 2018, in Hong Kong.
A Cool Fish earned $1.2 million its first three days alone, and grossed $24.2 million on its first weekend. The film earned a total of $90.1 million.[8]
Reception
Douban, a major Chinese media rating site, gave the drama 8.1 out of 10.
Accolades
| Date | Award | Category | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 10th Macau International Movie Festival | Best Picture | A Cool Fish | Won | |
| Best Actor | Chen Jianbin | Won | |||
| Best Actress | Ren Suxi | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Pan Binlong | Won | |||
| 2019 | 1st Duyun Film and Television Festival | Best Actor | Pan Binlong | Won | [9] |
References
- Patrick Frater (2 December 2018). "China Weekend Box Office: 'Crazy Rich Asians' Flounders as 'Fish' and 'Venom' Swim On". variety.com. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
- John Berra (19 November 2018). "'A Cool Fish': Review". screendaily. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
- Elizabeth Kerr (27 November 2018). "'A Cool Fish' ('Wuming zhibei'): Film Review". hollywoodreporter. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
- "Low-budget comedy 'A Cool Fish' surprise winner". china.org.cn. 9 December 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
- Du Jiayue (杜嘉悦) (November 5, 2018). 《无名之辈》做客"天天向上" 陈建斌潘斌龙变吃货. 163.com (in Chinese). Retrieved December 17, 2019.
- Du Jiayue (杜嘉悦) (September 13, 2018). 《无名之辈》定档11月16日 陈建斌联手任素汐. 163.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 17 December 2019.
- Adam Symchuk (16 October 2018). "Trailer for New Chinese Film "A Cool Fish"". asianmoviepulse.com. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
- Patrick Frater (2 December 2018). "China Weekend Box Office: 'Crazy Rich Asians' Flounders as 'Fish' and 'Venom' Swim On". variety.com. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
- 首届都匀电影电视节闭幕暨“匀芽奖”揭晓. sina (in Chinese). 20 September 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
External links
- A Cool Fish at IMDb
- A Cool Fish at Douban (in Chinese)
- A Cool Fish at Mtime.com (archived) (in Chinese)