我不是药神
王书琪
一.导演、演员介绍
1.导演
文牧野,中国华语影视导演、编剧,1985年出生于吉林省长春市,本科毕业于东北师范大学人文学院广播电视编导系,硕士毕业于北京电影学院导演系,师从导演田壮壮。2011年,文牧野凭借短片《金兰桂芹》获第5届山东青年微电影大赛优秀导演奖、优秀编剧奖;2012年凭借剧情短片《BATTLE》获得第7届FIRST青年电影展评委会特别奖、2013年FIRST青年电影展拍片季优秀影片奖;2018年,执导了其第一步院线作品《我不是药神》,并凭借该片获奖无数,如第14届中国长春电影节最佳青年编剧奖、第55届台湾电影金马奖最佳新导演奖及最佳原创剧本奖、第32届中国电影金鸡奖最佳导演处女作奖等。
“文牧野是天生要做导演的人”(演员、导演徐峥评),他有极强的现实主义刻画能力,关注小人物平凡、卑微的日常,在生活琐事中发现人生的真谛与人性的闪光。
2.演员
徐峥(饰演男主程勇),中国男演员、导演、编剧、监制,1972年生于上海市,1994年毕业于上海戏剧学院,毕业后进入上海话剧艺术中心,1998年凭借话剧《股票的颜色》获得第10届白玉兰戏剧奖最佳男主角奖。2000年因在古装神话剧《春光灿烂猪八戒》中饰演憨厚可爱的猪八戒一角而走红。2006年在黑色喜剧片《疯狂的石头》中饰演冯董,并凭借该角色获得第29届大众电影百花奖最佳男配角奖。2012年自编自导自监制自演的喜剧电影《泰囧》上映,最终票房为12.67亿人民币,成为中国电影史上首部票房过10亿的华语电影,并囊括多项大奖,如第20届北京大学生电影节最受大学生欢迎导演奖、第9届华鼎奖最佳新锐导演奖、第15届中国电影华表奖优秀青年导演奖等。除此之外,《爱情呼叫转移》、《人在囧途》、《无人区》等都是其主演的代表作,获得了票房和口碑的双重丰收。
周一围(饰演警察曹斌),中国内地男演员,1982年出生于湖南湘西,毕业于北京电影学院2000级表演高职班。2004年因饰演《深牢大狱》男一号刘川而被观众熟识。自2006年起参演过《谢谢你曾经爱过我》、《八百里洞庭我的家》、《金牌律师》等十余部电视剧,以及包括《我不是药神》、《建军大业》等在内的电影数部。2018年参加浙江卫视大型演技竞演类综艺节目《演员的诞生》并获得冠军。
王传君(饰演患者吕受益),中国内地影视男演员,1985年出生于上海市,毕业于上海戏剧学院04级表演系本科。2006年出演都市情感剧《谢谢你曾经爱过我》正式进入演艺圈,先后主演了《网球王子》、《爱情公寓》、《大仙衙门》等电视剧,因在电影《我不是药神》中出色的演出获得了第14届中国长春电影节最佳男配角奖、第10届中国电影导演协会年度男演员奖。
【参考文献】
[1] 百度百科.徐峥[BD/OL].[2020-09-30].https://baike.baidu.com/item/徐峥/2966629.
[2] 百度百科.王传君[BD/OL].[2020-09-30].https://baike.baidu.com/item/王传君/19788.
[3] 百度百科.文牧野[DB/OL].[2020-09-30].https://baike.baidu.com/item/文牧野.
[4] 百度百科.周一围[DB/OL].[2020-09-30].https://baike.baidu.com/item/周一围/475066.
二.电影梗概
电影《我不是药神》是由文牧野执导,宁浩、徐峥共同监制,徐峥、周一围、王传君等主演的剧情片,于2018年7月5日在中国上映。该片改编自真实事件,讲述了一个平凡的小人物因卖药而变得不平凡的故事。
印度神油店老板程勇日子过得很窘迫。他生意惨淡,妻子与有钱人怀上了孩子,跟他离了婚,还要争夺儿子的抚养权,父亲又病危,他连手术费都凑不齐。前妻要带儿子移民国外,他因不想失去儿子而坚决不答应。前妻对于程勇的不配合恼羞成怒,斥责其卖保健品丢人,不能让儿子跟着他丢人。程勇听到后怒不可遏,动手打了她。二人去了警察局,前妻的弟弟曹斌是警察,看到姐姐被打,非常生气,程勇面对暴怒的警察小舅子手足无措。
窘迫的日子就这样一天天过去了。一日,店里来了一名叫吕受益的白血病患者,他希望程勇能够帮忙从印度带回一些仿制的特效药——印度格列宁,这种仿制药的药效和正版药一样,但是比正版药便宜很多,他希望能用这些药让买不起天价正版药的患者看到一线生机。但程勇听到这个请求后马上意识到这是走私药品,属违法行为,果断拒绝了他的请求。但吕受益还是留下了联系方式。后来父亲病危,程勇急需用钱,在调查了这种仿制药没有危害后联系了吕受益,答应帮他去印度带药。程勇来到印度,买了一箱药走私回国。这批药除了给吕受益自己用之外,其他大部分需要卖出。但是卖药的过程并不顺利,他们竭力推销,可还是一瓶都没有卖出去。
后来他们发现病友们会通过QQ群联系,他们找到了群主刘思慧,她是一名单亲妈妈,女儿得了白血病,为了给女儿治病不得不去酒吧委身风尘跳钢管舞。在刘思慧的宣传和推动下,越来越多病友知道了这个药,开始向程勇买药,印度格列宁终于打开了销路。后来在一次卖药的时候,一个“黄毛”来抢药,程勇抓住他后发现他虽然很穷,连一瓶药都买不起,但很善良,会把药分给有需要的病友,于是同情他,招他加入了自己的队伍。后来在吕受益的推荐下,会英文的病友刘牧师也加入了他们的队伍。在刘牧师的帮助下,程勇拿到了印度格列宁的中国代理权,又搞定了走私船,终于打通了从药厂到病人的途径,五人团队也走向了事业的巅峰。
但是这种好日子并不长久。由于仿制药在市场上大量流通,卖正版药的老板发现并报了案,负责调查的警察正好是程勇的小舅子曹斌。与此同时,做了多年假药贩子的张长林也在调查程勇,他也在卖印度格列宁,但他卖的是真的“假药”,虽然无害但也没有用。虽然程勇他们暂时没有被警察发现,但是却被张长林发现了。在张长林的威逼利诱下,程勇将他仿制药的渠道打包卖给了张长林,自己拿着钱开了一个工厂,其他四个人也都离开了他。
后来,吕收益的妻子找到程勇,告诉他张长林接到卖药渠道后把价格定得非常高,吕受益买不起药,为了不连累家人选择自杀。程勇内心受到了震动,他再次去了印度,几经周折后拿到了药。回国后,他让刘思慧告诉QQ群里的病友,他宁愿倒贴钱来供给他们药。后来,警察查到了他们,“黄毛”为了掩护程勇,开着车冲出警车重围,却在十字路口被大货车撞了,抢救无效身亡。
最后,警察抓到了程勇,并判处有期徒刑五年。在程勇被送往监狱的路上,曾经受到他帮助的病友站在路旁送他。影片快结束时,字幕上显示该片根据真实事件改编,此次案件受到政府部门的高度重视,后来程勇出狱后,也从曹斌口中得知目前特效药已经纳入医保,患者可以以较低的价格购买。
【参考文献】
[1] 百度百科.我不是药神[BD/OL].[2020-09-30].https://baike.baidu.com/item/我不是药神/22485219?fr=aladdin#reference-[6]-23095215-wrap.
[2] 豆瓣影评.《我不是药神》剧情介绍[BD/OL].[2020-09-30].
[3] https://movie.douban.com/review/9552495/.
三.相关获奖、报刊评价情况、颁奖辞和权威的获奖评价
1.相关获奖
(续表)
【参考文献】
百度百科.我不是药神[BD/OL].[2020-09-30].https://baike.baidu.com/item/我不是药神/22485219?fr=aladdin#reference-[6]-23095215-wrap.
2.报刊评价
这不仅是一部完成度极高少见的国产现实主义电影,同时也是一部用诚意来打破所谓制度壁垒并靠规矩的拍摄手法来赢得观众的作品。
——《南方周末》评
该片的剪辑流畅,镜头语言干脆富有幽默感。影片有笑有泪,还有思考。在生活小细节的层层推进下,导演将小人物的日常平凡、卑微、无甚波澜的生活带到了更为深远的一步。
——《新快报》评
该片以草根群像式的现实刻画,生动展开小人物坚韧的生命故事。王传君、谭卓、章宇、杨新鸣和王佳佳等一众演员所扮演的小人物,也都充满闪光点,每个人都贡献了扎实的表演。
——《信息时报》评
【参考文献】
[1] 聂青.徐峥这次哭戏特别多[N/OL].新快报,2018-06-21[2020-09-30].https://epaper.xkb.com.cn/view/1112806.
[2] 朱白.《我不是药神》的现实主义观照与侠义主题[N/OL].南方周末,2018-07-05.
[3] [2020-09-30].http://www.infzm.com/content/137306
[4] 朱元斌.徐峥演的“药神”让人笑完哭,哭完还有正能量[N/OL].信息时报,2018-06-21[2020-09-30].http://ent.sina.com.cn/zz/2018-06-21/doc-ihefphqk5512790.shtml.
3.颁奖辞
在第10届中国电影导演协会2018年度表彰大会颁奖辞:
年度影片(《我不是药神》):聚焦于社会和民生,游刃于市场和环境;提升了对演员表演和人物塑造的专业标准,鼓舞了对现实题材和严肃电影的行业信心;让电影的力量超越娱乐,让电影人的付出获得尊重。
年度青年导演(文牧野):初生牛犊却沉稳老道,初出茅庐却回归传统;不浮躁,不取巧;有专业,有追求;已然开辟新天地,值得给予厚重期许。
年度男演员(王传君):沉潜于心,外化于形;以真挚的情感,完成灵魂附体般的人物;用卓绝的努力,实现表演方法的重要突破。
第55届台湾电影金马奖颁奖辞:
最佳新人导演(文牧野):拍摄多部短片,尤其刻画现实主义备受肯定。《我不是药神》是他的首部剧情长片,丝毫不见生涩,鲜活流畅又切中问题。
【参考文献】
[1] 李行.《我不是药神》导演:总要有人敢于说出想法,哪怕特别天真[EB/OL].中国新周刊2018-12-24[2020-09-30].
[2] http://www.inewsweek.cn/people/2018-12-24/4668.shtml.
[3] 电和影.徐峥实力问鼎金马影帝,《我不是药神》斩获三项大奖![EB/OL].百家号,2018-11-18[2020-09-30].https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1617397837900658855&wfr=spider&for=pc.
四.评论文献综述
电影《我不是药神》几乎获得了全方位的成功(陈阳,2018)。该片的票房突破了30亿元,在内地电影票房排行榜中位列第五;豆瓣评分高达9分,是近十年来国产电影的最高分,实现了票房和口碑的双赢(张安华,2018)。除此之外,该片作为一部现实主义类型片(1) ,不仅实现了其商业价值,也实现了其艺术价值与社会价值。在艺术价值上,该片被认为在中国电影艺术史上具有重要的意义,“一定程度上为中国电影开拓了一种新的类型疆域”,是中国电影的“新标杆”“新坐标”,具有“示范、引领的意义”(陈阳,2018;潘国辉,2020;王琳,2018);在社会价值上,该片所反映的“治病难”“天价药”等社会问题直接推动了相关政策的调整(2) ,实现了艺术对现实的反哺。学者和评论家多就其成功的原因进行探讨和分析。总的来说,该片成功的原因在于“在多方面找到了平衡”,将商业与艺术完美融合,在类型片中注入了现实主义精神,从而真正实现了电影的商业娱乐与现实关怀的双重诉求(陈阳,2018;李涤非,苏苗,2019;文牧野,谢阳,2019)。
在情节设置上,该片既有现实主义的真实性和可信性,也有商业类型片的“套路”。该片取材于2014年轰动全国的真实案件“印度抗癌药代购案”(或“陆勇案”),关注社会现实,聚焦底层人物,反思当下医疗改革难题,有着坚实的现实基础。但该片并不是“纪录片式”地再现真实案件,而是对其进行类型化改编和商业化包装,使其更适合市场和普通大众的需求。影片借鉴了好莱坞英雄电影“四幕式”的经典叙事结构,即“困境出场—冒险尝试—痛苦抉择—成功蜕变”,产生了强烈的戏剧张力。前两幕是喜剧,主要人物逐渐聚集在一起,组成卖药小团体,开启了充满喜剧色彩的卖药之旅;后两幕是悲剧,以药贩子张长林的出现为转折点,影片氛围陡然转喜为悲,主要人物逐渐分散,而主人公程勇正是在这种悲剧氛围中完成了人生的艰难抉择,实现了从平凡到伟大、从“人”到“神”的蜕变(饶曙光,2018;王琳,2018;颜研生,2019)。
在人物形象的塑造上,该片既客观地再现了真实故事原型(张安华,2018),又对其进行类型化、戏剧化和典型化的加工。影片对角色设置进行了重置和优化,在真实案件中,主人公陆勇既是白血病患者又是假药贩卖者,而影片则将其裂变为一个健康的程勇和一个白血病患者吕受益。前者以一个健康人的视角将观众带入白血病患者群体,引发观众的共情;后者则是众多看不起病的患者代表,是故事发展的主要推动力,也促成了主人公程勇从人到“神”的蜕变(饶曙光,2018)。一开始,影片的主人公是一个家庭事业双失败的“中年颓废男”的形象(潘国辉,2020)。他是一个典型的失败者,神油店生意惨淡,老婆跟有钱人结婚了,又丢掉了孩子的抚养权,父亲卧病在床,却无钱为父亲看病……这种窘境也促使他明知违法却依然铤而走险代购抗癌药。他是一个普通的底层人物,甚至有些唯利是图,他走私抗癌药并不是出于什么高尚的目的,而只是为了赚钱,他说“我不想做救世主,我只想赚钱”,他赚了钵满盆满后将钞票甩向男服务员让其跳钢管舞的时候,也活脱脱一个暴发户形象。但是吕受益的自杀激起了他心中的善和强烈的责任感,他心甘情愿地走上了“救世主”之路,决定贴钱卖药,完成了从英雄的蜕变。除了主角之外,该片的配角也很精彩,其中最大的亮点在吕受益(刘藩,2018)。他是整个故事的“催化剂、串联人”,是他让主角走上代购之路,是他帮助程勇结识了思慧、刘牧师和黄毛,组成了卖药五人团,也是他的死直接促成了程勇的转变。其他的三个配角也都是底层人物,他们的形象是按照中国古典戏曲“生旦净末丑”模式设定的,唯一的女性刘思慧是旦角,负责感情段落的演绎;“黄毛”是净角,个性激烈,承包打斗、飙车等动作戏;刘牧师是丑角,风趣幽默,他的出现总是伴随着笑声(王琳,2018)(3) 。
在电影技巧与艺术表现上,该片也兼具现实主义风格与类型化策略。本片大量运用小景别和手持摄像,具有强烈的现实主义风格。本片的摄影指导王博学曾说“我希望镜头要跟着演员一起呼吸,捕捉到演员所有细节的情绪”(转引自潘国辉,2020),这种近距离特写的小景别能够真实地捕捉到演员的表情和呼吸,使观众近距离地体察演员的喜怒哀乐,而晃动式的手持镜头也以其自身的纪实性和主观性带领观众进入故事情节,带来贴近真实的观影感受。除了镜头语言外,影片还借鉴了表现主义的手法,通过具有表意功能的意象来延伸电影的意涵。电影中最为人所称道的是“橘子”的意象。橘子这一意象与吕受益紧密相关,在电影中一共出现了三次。第一次出现是吕受益找到程勇寻求帮助时,此时橘子是拉近人际关系的工具;第二次是吕受益自杀未遂、程勇去病房看望他时,此时的橘子是吕受益走投无路时再次向程勇发出的求救信号;第三次是吕受益去世后,其遗像前放着一盘橘子,此时橘子象征着对吕受益的怀念(李涤非,苏苗,2019;潘国辉,2020)。除了橘子之外,印度的神像和病人戴的口罩也都是影片重要的意象,增强了叙事张力和情绪感染力。
总的来说,该片是一部以小人物为主角的英雄片,一部有着艺术片追求的商业片,一部有着悲剧内核的喜剧,一部直击社会现实的艺术品。该片的成功,也为国产现实主义类型片拓展了新的疆界。
【参考文献】
[1] 陈阳,2018.《我不是药神》:能否开启中国电影的一个新时代?[J].电影评介,2018(14):16-21.
[2] 李涤非,苏苗,2019.《我不是药神》:类型策略和现实主义回归[J].电影文学(07):96-98.
[3] 刘藩,2018.《我不是药神》:社会英雄类型片的中国经验[J].电影艺术(05):63-66.
[4] 潘国辉,2020.《我不是药神》:由“个体”到“群体”的镜语感知、意象阐释和人文关怀[J].电影评介(02):40-43.
[5] 饶曙光,2018.现实底色与类型策略——评《我不是药神》[J].当代电影(08):21-23.
[6] 王琳,2018.论国产商业电影《我不是药神》的民族化表达[J].四川戏剧(11):93-95+124.
[7] 文牧野,谢阳,2019.自我美学体系的影像化建构——《我不是药神》导演文牧野访谈[J].北京电影学院学报(01):61-69.
[8] 颜研生,2019.论《我不是药神》的叙事美学[J].电影文学(10):74-76.
[9] 张安华,2018.从《我不是药神》谈现实主义电影的特征[J].电影文学(19):82-84.
[10] 张邱平,2019.《我不是药神》:类型化叙事的新拓展[J].电影文学(02):122-124.
五.跨文化知识点
1.中国式“英雄”
《我不是药神》遵循了西方叙事学中经典的“英雄之旅”(The Hero's Journey)模式,是典型的社会英雄类型片(刘藩,2018)。比如,吕受益的到来是程勇冒险之旅的召唤(Call to Adventure),而程勇父亲病重急需用钱就是他踏上冒险之旅的超自然助力(Supernatural Aid),到了印度后程勇需要摆平众多守门人(Threshold Guardians),如索要高价的走私船以及拒绝合作的药厂老板。过关后程勇开启了诱惑与挑战并存(Challenges and Temptations)的买药之旅。在这个过程中遇到了一系列帮手(Helper),如思慧、黄毛和牧师,而这些帮手在某种程度上也可以作为程勇的精神导师(Mentor),逐渐发掘他心底的善。吕受益的自杀以及之后的逝世,让程勇完成了重生(Death and Rebirth)和转变(Transformation),他为了赎罪(Atonement)贴钱买药,最后在病友们一路相送的神赐礼物(Gift of Goddess)中完成了回归(Return)(张毅,2019)。
但《我不是药神》并不只是生搬硬套西方英雄片模式,而是将其本土化,融入了中国的伦理价值,使观众在观影的过程中产生强烈的情感认同。程勇身上所体现出的这种英雄主义与儒家道德精神一脉相承(王琳,2018)。儒家思想讲求“推己及人”(4) ,即人与人之间要将心比心,要设身处地为他人着想。影片中最能体现这一点的是程勇跟思慧回家想要“潜规则”她时,看到她的女儿后遂打消了色欲,匆匆告退。因为他作为单亲父亲,在看到思慧的女儿时也能够理解思慧作为单亲妈妈的辛苦,因此将其看作一个伟大的母亲而非色欲的对象。在这个过程中他也完成思想的升华,从一个简单的团队领导者变成一个“东方伦理价值观和情感认同的尊长身份”,而这种“尊长”身份便是中国式“英雄”(张毅,2019)。儒家思想讲求“义”,如孔子所言“不义而富且贵,于我如浮云”(《论语·述而》),卖药小团体在遇到贩卖假药的张长林时完全可以袖手旁观,大家各赚各的钱,井水不犯河水。但是他们出于正义之心揭穿了张长林,并大打出手,彰显了义勇之气,这一架也让他们从一个利益相关的走私团伙成为一个意气相投的团队(张毅,2019),带给观众更强烈的情感共鸣。
【参考文献】
[1] 刘藩,2018.《我不是药神》:社会英雄类型片的中国经验[J].电影艺术(05):63-66.
[2] 王琳,2018.论国产商业电影《我不是药神》的民族化表达[J].四川戏剧(11):93-95+124.
[3] 张毅,2019.从英雄之旅到尊长之旅——以《我不是药神》为例看中国礼俗情感的类型表达[J].电影文学(15):81-85.
2.人情社会与法治社会
人情社会是中国传统文化的一大特点,也是理解中国历史与现实的一大关键,具体表现在人情世故、熟人社会、关系社会、面子社会、人情社会、人治传统以及伦理社会等七个方面(陈刚,2002)。当前,人情社会以血缘、亲缘、地缘等传统关系为基点,以同学、同乡、同事等衍生关系为依托,在移动互联的助势下,非但没有消失,反而越发明显。这与中国建设法治社会的目标形成冲突,造成了情与法的困局(王莹,2019)。
电影《我不是药神》便采用了情法交织的叙事逻辑,影片一开始就将主人公置于情与法的道德困境——不走私药就会眼睁睁看着病友以及父亲去世,而走私药又违反法律。最后主人公虽然因违法而被捕,却赢得了病友的爱戴。这种情与法的冲突增强了影片的情绪感染力,更凸显主人公的伟大。程勇的小舅子曹斌是一名警察,在电影中代表着法制部门,他对于情与法关系认识的转变,也透露着电影主创对此的态度。一开始听说有人卖假药时,他坚决严格执法,必须抓获嫌疑犯;但后来他意识到假药对很多患者来说是保命药时,又犹豫了,陷入了艰难的抉择;最后,他偏向了情,一句“放人”体现了执法者的温情和无奈(张安华,2018)。
【参考文献】
[1] 陈刚,2002.法治社会与人情社会[J].社会科学,2002(11):53-57.
[2] 王莹,2019.传统文化创造性转化视域下的社会主义法治文化建设[J].社会科学战线(06):272-276.
[3] 张安华,2018.从《我不是药神》谈现实主义电影的特征[J].电影文学(19):82-84.
六.讨论题
1. 你认为程勇代购假药对不对?如果你是他,你会怎么做?
2. 影片中多次出现了印度神像和口罩的意象(参考评论文献综述第四段),你认为这两个意象代表了什么?
3. 你如何看待张长林的一句台词“这世界上只有一种病——穷病”?你同意他的说法吗?
4. 一些人将卖药五人团体与中国戏曲中的“生旦净末丑”五种角色相对应,但有人认为丑角是刘牧师,而有人则认为丑角是吕受益(参考评论文献综述第三段)。结合电影与戏曲背景知识,你同意哪种看法?或者你有什么新的看法?
5. 《我不是药神》被欧美观众称为中国版的《达拉斯买家俱乐部》,二者在题材和故事模式上都十分相似。请对比这两部电影,讨论其在故事情节、思想主旨上的异同。
Dying to Survive: From Ordinary to Extraordinary
Yang Qingyu and Hu Xiaoyan
Dying to Survive(Wǒ bù shì yào shén 我不是药神,release: 2018),
Directed by Wen Muye,文牧野
Dying to Survive or Wǒ bù shì yào shén is a film directed by Wen Muye and stared Xu Zheng in the lead role in 2018. The film grossed $453 million,becoming the third highest⁃grossing film at the Chinese box office in 2028. Pang⁃Chieh Ho wrote that Dying to Survive might be China's best movie of the year (Ho,2018),even though there is criticism that the excessive focus on Cheng to the detriment of the film's message and at the expense of other characters (Abrams,2019).
The film's Chinese name,Wǒ bùshì yào shén means I'm not the God of medicine. The film tells the story of a group of ordinary people just like the people and things that are in our daily life. When the police interrogated the patients,an old lady said,such bad luck (the disease) may fall on everyone. Can you guarantee you stay healthy as long as you live? Disease,life,struggle to live,greed,selflessness,courage,loyalty happens to ordinary people's life almost everyday. And everyone can find their own shadow from these characters.
Cheng Yong is a scoundrel smuggler who accidentally became a hero. At the beginning of the film,his ex⁃wife,brother⁃in⁃law,and even neighbors scorn him for his laziness and failure. To earn some money to pay for his father's surgery and fight for his son's custody. He decided to take the olive branch sent by a patient of Chronic Granulocytic Leukemia (Lv Shouyi),and go to India to smuggle the medicine that he and other patients need. Lv asked Yong to do so because the miracle medicine is patented by a Swiss company and very costly. The wonder drug can keep the patient's condition stable and keep their lifespan as natural people. However,the generic version from India is only 1/20 of the original price.
During the conversation with the owner of the generic drug company. He told the owner: “this medicine could save a lot of people”. The owner asked him: “ So you want to be a savior?” Yong said: “No,I don't. I want to earn good money.” He added “Life is money.” At that time,all what he did was purely driven by profit.
After he came back to China,Shouyi introduced him to an admin of an online patient group called Sihui. Sihui is a stripper in a night club,whose husband left her for their daughter's sickness. Because of the high expense of the medicine,she has no choice but to become a stripper. Even though her work in China is in the grey zone,she has much appeal to other patients. In the restaurant she introduced other patients to Yong,Yong asked them to take off their face masks. But no one listened until Sihui told them to do so. The symbol of face masks in China is different from the U.S. Face masks are a symbol of patients with no doubt,but face masks to the patients also protect the patients by separating them from the outsiders. When Shouyi first met Yong,he wore three layers of masks. By this detail,we can tell Shouyi cared about his life,and didn't want to leave his family behind. Yong changed the patients' life. After meeting Yong,Shouyi started to take off his masks,and started to live a normal life. At the end of the film,when Yong was in the police car,the patients came to the street seeing him off,and took off their masks to show their respect to Yong.
Their business started with another two people joining: a Christian priest and a butcher⁃yellow hair. Yellow hair is a young boy escaping from his family because of his sickness. He robbed Shouyi for the generic drugs,and has no money to pay back. So they let him work for the business. Yellow hair,who pretended don't have any family,has an opposing view towards life when compared to Shouyi. He never wore a face mask and pretended to see through life and death,but he took his family photo with him wherever he went. He left them because he didn't want to become their burden.
During their time spending together selling the generic drugs,their relationships developed. Yong helped Sihui from the pole dancing job,and paid the manager to dance for them. Sihui regained her dignity and decided to spend the night with Yong. Yong refused her and asked her to take better care of her daughter. Shouyi also invited him to his shabby apartment,and showed Yong his son. They even visioned their future,seeing their children and grandchildren. Yong is much appreciated by many patients like Shouyi,yellow hair,the priest and Sihui. From that day on,Shouyi was full of courage and decided to live on.
Their fight together with a counter feit drug dealer Academian Zhang brought them potential threats. They went to the police office and Academian Zhang threatened Yong to blow the whistle unless Yong sold the agency to him with two million. Yong decided to quit the business,take the money and opened a clothing factory. Before he left,he asked the Academian Zhang to promise him to sell the generic drugs to his friends at the original price,3000 yuan. This action destroyed their friendship and their courage towards life. When Shouyi left the room,he pulled his three layered masks on,and looked at Yong with a burst of tears. Academian Zhang was betrayed for his greed a year later. He raised the drug price to 20000 yuan,only half of the original price. So many patients can't afford the drugs,so they decided to send him to jail. Shouyi can't get cheap drugs from Academian Zhang nor afford the original one,his disease developed to the third stage very quickly. He committed a suicide because he suffered enough. Yong saw him in the hospital and decided to bring the generic medicine to him from India by himself. Before he came back,Shouyi committed suicide again to save some treatment money for his wife and son.
Shouyi's death touched Yong. He understands the patients' suffering and their persistence in life. He decided to help the patients without profit and losing money for helping those patients. Even Academian Zhang called him “Robin Hood” and didn't sell him out when he was interrogated by the police. Yong was caught by the police after the death of yellow hair. Before he went to the jail,he told his brother⁃in⁃law,“Tell Little Shu (his son),his dad is not a bad guy”.
Adapted from a true story,the prototype of Cheng Yong in this movie is called Lu Yong in life. Lu Yong suffered from Chronic Granulocytic Leukemia. He is a boss of a textile company. After two years of treatment,and spending 564,000 on the expensive import medicine,he had to try the generic drugs from India,which is only 1/20 of the original price,has the same function. The reason why it can be this cheap is because of the “compulsory licensing system” launched by the Indian government. The aim of this system is to guarantee the right of the poors have access to these life⁃saving drugs in India. Lu Yong not only bought these drugs for himself,and also introduced this drug to other patients. Because some patients can't speak English,he also served as the agent for them,and brought the drugs from India without charging any extra fees from them. That is why after he was arrested for “obstructing credit card management” and “selling counterfeit drugs”,more than 1000 people signed a petition for him. Just like what you can see at the end of the film,rows of patients escorting the police car with Cheng Yong on it; he lit the light for other patients. Lu Yong was released innocent later. Because although his behavior interferes with public order,it is difficult to compare his behavior with the right to life and health of leukemia group. It is obviously contrary to the value of justice if regard his behavior of benefiting leukemia patients as a crime. This case promoted the reform of Chinese law,and changed the tariff of imported medicine to zero,and issued new regulations on medicine pricing.
The supporting actors and actresses are very powerful and provided professional performance. Sihui's character Tan Zhuo practiced hard for a month in order to perfectly present the steel tube dance segment of only a few tens of seconds. Unfortunately one of her knees was permanently damaged. Lu beneficiary's actor Eric Wang's rickety old image on the screen makes people can't believe that he is 6 feet tall and lost more than 20 pounds. He didn't sleep for two days in order to accurately show the dying state of cancer patients in front of the camera. The actor made the greatest efforts for the role and gave his best acting skills (Lucas,2019).
Shouyi committed suicide makes him look like a coward. But his death is not because he can't take the pain anymore. He wanted his family to live a better life. He can't drag them down to collapse. So he ended his life with great courage in the face of his death and illness. As we may see from the previous part,he wanted to live,he wanted to protect himself. Otherwise he won't wear three layers of masks. Dying is more difficult for him. But he chose the more difficult path.
Sihui was forced to become a stripper. That's the only way to earn money fast enough to control the development of her daughter's disease. Even though she knows to use the computer skillfully,she can't get a decent job. Her daughter was not surprised to see a strange man in their home. But when Yong left on the night,she smiled from the bottom of her heart. It has been a long time since the last respect she received from a man.
Hollywood film review recognizing the amusement parts and criticism part by calling this movie a dramedy. According to Deborah Young (2019),despite its paucity of action and some unnecessary repetitions that extend the running time,the story rolls on smoothly. The transition in Chen Yong from a virility drug dealer with problems galore to a Contemporary Robin Hood is very natural. Through elaborate script design,interlocking structure and content the typical characteristics of typical characters are refined and the character characteristics are vividly presented on the screen which truly reflects real life. Hope is one of the focuses in this film. According to Lu Yong,the prototype,“there are always people who don't want to be a lamp post that goes out,and wants to be the only light”.
Discussion Questions
1.Do you think that Cheng Yong is a hero? Is he a typical drug dealer? What was his situation? Do you think he is an ordinary people? Please give your reasons.
2.The movie was inspired by a real⁃life incident in China in 2015. Would you introduce the healthcare reform in China?
3.Quite a few film reviews believe that “Dying to Survive” brings to mind “The Dallas Buyers Club”. Would you compare these two movies?
References
1.Abrams,Simon. “Dying to Survive Movie Review”.Roger Ebert.com. Ebert Digital LLC. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
2.Ho,Pang⁃Chieh. “'Dying to Survive,' a comedy about illegally importing drugs,might be China's best movie of the year”.Sup China. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
3.Lucas,Catherine. “Dying to survive and cancer care in China.”The Lancet Oncology 20,no. 1 (2019): 30.
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(1) 中国艺术学院研究院影视系副研究院刘藩(2019)将现实主义电影分为三类:批判现实主义艺术片、现实题材剧情片和现实主义类型片。《我不是药神》属于第三类。本片导演文牧野也说这是一个“类型化的现实主义题材电影”(文牧野,谢阳,2019),李涤菲和苏苗(2019)也认为其是“现实主义类型电影”。
(2) 《我不是药神》热映后,国家医保局立即表示“加快对抗癌药降价的进程”,随后李克强总理也就此作出重要批示,要求相关部门贯彻落实“抗癌药降价保供”等措施(张安华,2018;张邱平,2019)。
(3) 刘藩(2018)也认为卖药五人团是按照“生旦净末丑”来设定的,但他认为丑角是吕受益。
(4) 《论语·卫灵公》:“己所不欲,勿施于人。”朱熹集注:“推己及人。”“推己及人”现已成为汉语成语。