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Together presents itself as a warm film and refers to the special relationship between a music teacher and student. One helps the other to master music and become an accomplished musician through talent, dedication and ambition--together. However, beneath the title lies something else--what it really takes to succeed in the cutthroat world of top performers, and this could be in any area, not just music. Unfortunately, the lesson of surviving in this atmosphere must be learned at an early age. One wonders just what kind of life then exists for the lonely performer.

In this story, set in modern China, a poor father, Liu Chen (Liu Peiqi), works hard for the money for his son Xiaochun's (Tang Yun) violin lessons. Xiaochun is an especially talented, aspiring concert artist. They travel to Beijing for private lessons with a prestigious teacher, Professor Jiang (Wang Zhiwen), who is somewhat of an eccentric. Xiaochun and the teacher bond, but eventually, the father knows that the son must have a different teacher to promote himself. Difficult as this may be, and through humorous circumstances, Xiaochun meets, and is accepted by Professor Yu (director Chen Kaige), who is also grooming Lin Yu (actress name is unknown) for future stardom. The two students are pitted against each other. Xiaochun begins to realize that friends and family are essential to emotional fulfillment. One of Xiaochun's friends is Lili (Chen Hong), a young woman of questionable occupation. Amusing moments are provided by Lili as she tries to keep a new boyfriend (Chen Qian) on the line when he wants to stray.

Chen Kaige directs a sly film. There is not only classical music in the concert scenes, but snippets of melody for certain sections, as when Xiaochun is happy and Golliwog's Cakewalk is heard--or someone telling a fib, and Gershwin's It Ain't Necessarily So is in the background. Instead of sight gags, these are "ear gags."

The actors actually are fine violinists, but this level of competitive playing is dubbed by Li Chuanyun. There is wonderful dialogue in Together, such as when Liu Cheng is trying to find an apartment in Beijing and says, "It's easier to find a bride than housing here." Or Liu's observation when Xiaochun is consumed by his music, "The shotgun has become a sleek rifle."

Together shows us the old China and the new China. Professor Jiang is the older version, and one who would study art for art's sake. Professor Yu is the new version, and touts success as the only way to go. Who hasn't heard a musical artist play with marvelous technique yet have no emotional expression? Fingers fly across the keys, or a voice trills on command, yet a robot could duplicate these results. Then, along comes someone who makes our pulse race, the skin on our arms tingle and our brain floats away. Ah, that's when music really IS music!

Secrets are slowly revealed in Together. This is good storytelling. We get to know the characters, as well as their good and bad points. Even talent can be used as a ploy to get something that is really needed. After the Cultural Revolution, Chinese music students could study western classical music with its emotional content. What a sensation this scenario must have been. Without it, there would not be a film such as Together. Though not a perfect film--admittedly, there are one too many moments of purposeful emotion--Together is rich in detail, including character and setting. Beijing, mentioned as having the Forbidden City, is shown through side streets: narrow, muddy alleys and mediocre apartments. It is very much like the world of a concert star. We have a sleek, professional exterior and a comfortable, interior. The center of our universe is where our heart is, and that is home, no matter how narrow the street.

Copyright 2003 Marie Asner
Submitted 6/15/03