Written by Linda
February 14, 2009
This sweet, slight movie plays on the age old tale of the prodigal son returning home to a family that he doesn't feel he belongs to anymore.
It is the story of two adult brothers and their father, the oldest son returning from the big city as a successful businessman, and looking down on the small life that his father and mentally disabled younger brother lead. The father runs an old-style public bathhouse, which is under the threat of being torn down to make way for high-rises (sounds like Seattle!).
The real revelation here is actor Jiang Wu, who plays the younger brother, Erming, with disarming simplicity and purity of heart. The scenes of the adult son, who has the mind of a child, literally "playing" with his father, were some of the sweetest father/son scenes I've seen in a long time.
[Postscript: Shower ended up winning the Golden Space Needle audience award for favorite film and director of the 2000 Seattle International Film Festival.]
