Please Vote for Me (2007)

Better Late Then Never

A Masterpiece!

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Blistering performances.

This can't be a documentary, as another reviewer already said. For starters, there are many "intimate" moments caught on tape in the most unrealistic way (e.g., a kid telling his machiavellic plans to destroy another candidate's reputation - all steps of his planning and executing are recorded), the camera shoots sometimes at angles that would be impossible to shoot without the cameraman looking really awkward, the characters fit perfectly well into their roles in the plot (which is odd for a documentary), etc., so this casts serious doubts on whether many of the film's good points are real or fake.But as a fiction, is it interesting? Well, more or less, because the main interest in the film is to catch a glimpse at contemporary China, and a fiction destroys this unbiased objective. The film rather reinforces some stereotypes and doesn't show anything new. The novelty would be that the problems of western elections can also happen in China, but this is discarded if the film is a fiction.

I found this film disturbing, because it illustrates starkly how foreign a concept democracy has become to the Chinese. This film follows an election campaign for class monitors/prefects in a Chinese primary school, and there is a scene where the teacher struggles to explain what a democracy is, and the children at first struggle to understand the concept of voting for their leaders. Once they get into their stride however, the insults and backstabbing really take off amongst the candidates! So, much like any British general election! This is a very inciteful documentary into the difficulties the Chinese may face in moving towards a democratic future, but there are moments of sheer joy for the viewer.

As I was watching Please Vote for Me, a documentary by Weijun Chen, I thought for a few moments that I was watching a modern American reality television show. I was also quite shocked by the actions of the parents of the children in the film. Please Vote for Me is the story of a third-grade class in China getting their first taste of democracy. Three candidates are selected to run for "class monitor," and they all run campaigns to try and win. The duties of the class monitor are never very well specified, but it's evident that they get to boss around the other kids and keep them in line. There were three candidates: Luo Lei, Cheng Cheng and Xu Xiaofei. Luo Lei had an automatic advantage because he had been class monitor before, which is probably why he won in the end. Cheng Cheng was extremely bossy, and Xu Xiaofei was very sensitive and the only girl in the race. The thing that shocked me the most in this film was what the parents did to help their children win. It was similar to a modern election, full of scandal and bribery. It was just a bit less discreet. The kids were taken on a trip, given gifts, and promised a lot of things. Truthfully, the race seemed more like a pageant to me. There was a talent portion and a speech and then a debate, which was the one thing that really made it a political race. In the speeches, it was less about telling what they were going to do, it was more about the flaws of the other person. The candidates even asked their classmates for flaws of their opponents. It was really shocking how mean kids are to each other. I liked how it was shot though, very relaxed, very real. It made me feel like I was actually taking part in the action. I also liked that the cameras went home with the kids (even though it wasn't that great how Cheng Cheng was in his underwear all the time), it really gave a feel for how much the parents were involved. They wrote the speeches, told them exactly was to do, and provided bribes for the kids to use. It was wrong, but it made it much more interesting. This film was captivating and well made. I enjoyed it a lot, but it seemed like the translators didn't subtitle as much as they could. I don't know if this is true, but It could have definitely been changed.

Film Review: Please Vote for Me The film "Please Vote for Me," directed by Chen Weijun, takes place in Wuhan, China's Evergreen Primary School, 3rd grade class. An experiment about democracy has been conducted. The children of the third grade class are to vote for their Class Monitor. The purpose of this experiment is to see the effects of democracy in China and how it would be received if it were introduced. Within the past 10 years, the world has depended on China's economy. This film delves into the values and ideals of modern China and demonstrates its gradual political change.Throughout the film, the main focus has been on the candidates. Each candidate gained different experiences on their journey through the election. Parental influence was something that had a great effect on the outcome of the election. Cheng Cheng and Luo Lei both had plenty of help from their parents when it came to speeches and gaining favor from their classmates. Xiaofei, however, had no direct influence from her mother. The parents seemed to do everything they could to help their child succeed. Whether there is a great parental influence or not, the candidates easily found their own clever tactics. With the help of their assistants, the candidates found ways to manipulate their classmates, as well as their competitors. This both helped them and hurt them. In the end, Luo Lei came out with a massive win.The approach to the making of this film is mostly 'fly on the wall.' After experiment is initiated, the rest is left untouched. This is an important aspect of the film because, without direct interference, it allows the children in the class and other subjects of the film to live the experiment as accurately as it would be without the presence of the camera. The editing was very simple. It showed important points toward the progression of the election. It was very easy to follow and was very smoothly put together. The cinematography was very straightforward. Without the interference of additional music, the viewer is able to form his own thoughts and opinions toward the situation, instead of being given a feeling or an emotion that is evoked by the intrusion of the director. The only interviews in the film were scarce and brief as a few children were asked "who will you vote for?" Other than that, the director stepped back and simply watched as his film took place.Overall, this film completes its objective. It arouses thoughts and questions about democracy in China. It shows Chinese values and culture in modern China. The growth and political change in China, though gradual, is an active and moving force. All of the children of Evergreen Primary School's third grade class learned new life lessons through this experiment. The candidates were taught to be strong and persistent and to never give up while trying to accomplish their goals. The class and everyone involved received democracy very willingly and valued their right to vote for their Class Monitor.