Walking on the Wild Side

Han Jies feature debut draws on his own experiences growing up in a desolate mining district in northern Chinas Shanxi province A Chinese road movie Walking on the Wild Side charts a young gangs continuous flights from one kind of trouble to the next Mirroring the stark and barren landscape the film relays the grim story of these delinquents dreams of liberty and easy money Played by nonprofessional actors who are real life troublemakers the film offers a realism that is at once oppressive cruel and sympathetic