Striding Into the Wind is a light hearted, coming-of-age romp that captures the turbulence of one’s early 20’s through the highs and lows of owning a car. Kun is an indecisive, final year film student, perturbed by the unspoken rules of the working world. His flippancy is a natural extension of feeling trapped and it unwittingly translates into a dismissal of those most important to him. Kun’s broken down jeep is the setting where all of the central plot developments coalesce. Experiences and memories are parcelled up and tucked away within the closed quarters of this car, which has been privy to the simplest pleasures and befuddling frustrations of Kun’s young life.

Much of Striding Into the Wind is concerned with the thrill of upsetting routine. For Kun, cars are a way to flee the stagnant day to day. A way to shake off the condescending tone of a patronising professor, a way to paper over the misunderstandings of his girlfriend. The car is a portal through which he can flee the monotony of everyday. The film’s director, Wei Shujun, is creative in how he manipulates the space of the car. The world is framed differently from within the jeep, it is both limiting and focused, perfect to capture the crucial moments of the film.

It is occasionally difficult to connect to a character who is so uprooted and unaware, and there are some sudden developments in the latter half of the film which feel a little harsh in comparison to the easy pace of the first hour. However, Shujun has crafted a stirring, silly examination of youthful ambivalence. This is ultimately a very funny, light-hearted and thoughtful understanding of the futility in resisting adulthood.

RATING: 4/5

INFORMATION

CAST: Zhou You, Zheng Yingchen, Wang Xiaomu

DIRECTOR: Wei Shujun

WRITERS: Wei Shujun, Goa Linyang

SYNOPSIS: A film student escapes his mundane routine after purchasing a used car.