Watch Shower

Shower is a Chinese film directed by Zhang Yang, which portrays the relationship between two estranged brothers who barely see each other. The film takes place primarily in a public bathhouse in Beijing, where the two brothers, Da Ming and Er Ming, grew up working with their father in the shower stalls. Da Ming is now busy with his business and lives in the city, while Er Ming still runs the bathhouse with their father, who is in poor health. When Da Ming returns home for his father’s birthday, he discovers that the bathhouse is in ruin and that his father wants him to stay and help fix it up.

As Da Ming settles into the bathhouse and spends time with his brother and father, he begins to understand the importance of the communal bonds forged through shared experiences, especially in a city where rapid development has erased many of the old neighborhoods and ways of life.

Throughout the film, we see various customers and regulars at the bathhouse, whose lives intersect with the brothers during their time there. Among them are a young homeless man, an old man who teaches piano, and a group of women who come to the bathhouse to sing together.

Against the backdrop of a changing urban landscape, Shower is a poignant tale of family, community, and the importance of cherishing the moments that we spend with the people we love.

One of the strengths of Shower is the way that it handles themes of generational conflict and cultural identity without ever feeling preachy or didactic. Instead, the film simply presents a series of snapshots of daily life in a rapidly changing China, illustrating the disorienting effects of urbanization and capitalism on traditional ways of life. At the same time, the film celebrates the beauty and resilience of ordinary people who find meaning and connection in simple pleasures, like singing in a communal bathhouse.

The performances of the three main actors are universally excellent, particularly Jiayi Du as the older brother Da Ming, whose transformation from callous businessman to loving son and brother is the emotional heart of the film. Bing He, as the ailing father, brings a palpable warmth and humor to his role, while Zheng Fang imbues the younger brother Er Ming with a quiet dignity and strength that belies his humble profession.

While Shower is a gentle and melancholy film, it is also full of humor and joy, celebrating the bonds of family and community that endure even as the world around us changes. Its themes of connectedness and resilience remain as relevant today as they were upon its release in 1999, making it a timeless classic of Chinese cinema.