Be Water

Be Water is a documentary film that premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and is directed by Bao Nguyen.[1] It is about Bruce Lee, a famous martial artist. It uses significant amounts of archival footage, and focuses on Lee's 2 years in Hong Kong spent filming 4 feature films.[2] Reviewers think it is a compelling film.[3] It is part of ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary series and the film tackles racism in America.[4][5][6] In a GQ interview, Nguyen talks about how this film represents protest and fits the zeitgeist, with many more Asian-American films being released as contemporaries.[7] As of February 19, 2021, it is on Netflix. It won the Gold List Award in 2021.

Be Water
Film poster
Directed byBao Nguyen
Produced by
  • Julia Nottingham
  • Bao Nguyen
  • Gentry Kirby
  • Erin Leyden
  • Adam Neuhaus
CinematographyCaleb Heller
Edited byGraham Taylor
Music by
Production
company
Dorothy Street Pictures
Release date
  • January 2020 (2020-01) (Sundance)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryUnited States
Languages
  • English
  • Chinese

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an aggregate score of 93% based on 28 positive and 2 negative critic reviews. The website’s consensus reads: "If Be Water's surface level approach doesn't quite match its subject's depth, it still serves as an appropriate introduction to the almighty Bruce Lee."[8] The Hollywood Reporter praised the film as it serves as a respectful response to Bruce Lee's demeaning portrayal in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," where he was reduced to a white he-man joke, it falls short of being a comprehensive exploration of the martial arts icon's life and influence. The documentary's strengths lie in its compelling use of historical footage and its thoughtful analysis of the systemic racism that hindered Lee's progress in Hollywood until he established himself as a commercial force in Hong Kong.[9]

References
  1. "be-water". www.sundance.org. Archived from the original on 2021-12-09. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  2. Harvey, Dennis (2020-02-04). "'Be Water': Film Review". Variety. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  3. "'Be Water': Film Review | Sundance 2020 | Hollywood Reporter". www.hollywoodreporter.com. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  4. "BE WATER: Director Bao Nguyen Reveals Bruce Lee's Fight Against Racism in America". Den of Geek. 2020-06-05. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  5. "How Bao Nguyen's documentary Be Water unpacks the human being behind the legend of Bruce Lee | CBC Radio". CBC. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  6. "In 'Be Water', Bao Nguyen looks at the giant shadow cast by Bruce Lee". ESPN.com. 2020-05-27. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  7. Goh, Yang-Yi (9 June 2020). "How Bruce Lee Became a Global Protest Icon". GQ. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  8. "Be Water". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  9. Rooney, David (2020-02-04). "'Be Water': Film Review | Sundance 2020". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
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