First of all, i loved this movie. Very touching and a realistic point of view of problems society as well as ill-fate can do to a family. I did have a question though. Why do you think Tao Lan admited that she stole the 5 yuen? Was it because she thought further blame on the sister would cause more trouble and maybe this seemed like a way to get through and accept that what's done is done? I'm not too sure...any ideas?
shareMaybe Tao Lan wanted Father's love, too. Maybe she was jealous of her sister for that. Maybe her 5 Yuan was a metaphor of something she had ever wanted to steal so badly. She might have been pondering upon it for seventeen years in prison. I've been thinking of what my 5 Yuan is since this movie.
just my two cents.
i also have the same question. quite confused with tao lan's admission. u are probably right j_88. maybe that's what the stepfather wants to believe, and this could be a means for closure for the family. or, maybe 17 years in prison has made her (falsely) believe that everything was her fault? maybe guilt has overcome her, to a point that she has lost all her self-respect. just some ideas ...
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It was her way of atoning in her father's eyes. It also smoothed the path for a better/easier future for all concerned. Also, nothing would have been gained by insisting that it was her sister who took the money.
A fine movie, this.
I agree. I think she wanted her step-sister to be remembered postively and for the right reasons.
The other reason is that seventeen years in prison might have affected mentally where she keeps looking back and maybe she starts to think maybe it was me who stole it.
I agree with Mac that Tao Lan's admission was a gesture of atonement, as much toward her stepdad as toward her dead stepsister XiaoQing. She may not have stolen the money, but she did take a life. Which is the worse offense?
I also believe the stepdad knew (or at least suspected) it was XiaoQing who had actually taken the money. He stuffed the bill into her hand and told her to buy some treats with it as he sent her off to school that last day. The money was not a big deal, but winning the stupid argument against his wife was. They were a divided family then and could've fought over anything.
17 years on, everyone still living has been dealing with the consequences of that argument. I think they've all come to realize they are all responsible for their loss and suffering. When the stepdad repeats "for 5 yuan" (as in all this grief over 5 yuan), I think he was deeply regretful of his own part in bringing about the tragedy. They had all 4 behaved badly that day, but the adults had been especially senseless. In the final scene, we see the family members each try to acknowledge guilt, express remorse, find some sort of peace and hopefully move forward together.