Mongolian Ping Pong (Lu Cao di) (2005)

84% of critics liked it
(25 reviews)
68% of users liked it
(735 ratings)

A lone ping-pong ball floating along a remote Mongolian river sets a trio of young boys on the adventure of a lifetime in director Ning Hao's tale of discovery and adventure in east-central Asia. Little has changed in the landscape of Mongolia since the ancient days of Genghis Kahn, so when Bilike,… More A lone ping-pong ball floating along a remote Mongolian river sets a trio of young boys on the adventure of a lifetime in director Ning Hao's tale of discovery and adventure in east-central Asia. Little has changed in the landscape of Mongolia since the ancient days of Genghis Kahn, so when Bilike, Erguotou, and Dawa discover a mysterious white ball dancing along the surface of the water, their curiosity quickly gets the best of them. Informed by Bilike's grandmother that the strange sphere is a glowing pearl from heaven, the three youngsters stay up all night waiting for the ball to light up, to no avail. When inquiries to others offer nothing but perplexed looks and wild speculation, Bilike, Erguotou, and Dawa travel to a faraway monastery to seek the wisdom of the wise lamas and unlock the secrets of their odd discovery. That, too, offers more questions and answers as the sheltered lamas admit to never having seen an object of such origins, though, and it isn't until the trio witnesses a ping-pong tournament on a television won by Dawa's father that they finally realize their discovery is the "national ball of China." Now determined to return the ball to its rightful owners, Bilike, Erguotou, and Dawa set out on the road to Beijing without realizing how far the technologically advanced capitol of China truly is from their serine Mongolian paradise. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 42 min.
Directed By: Hao Ning
Written By: Hao Ning
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Apr 21, 2006 Limited
On DVD: Oct 24, 2006
Studio: First Run

Critic Reviews

Stephen Hunter, Washington Post
Somehow, Hao never breaks the spell of enchantment over the proceedings. He doesn't find the characters quaint or amusing, he finds them real and human and confers the full dignity of existence upon them.
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
Wistful, humorous and majestically pictorial, Mongolian Ping Pong is an off-trail film full of offtbeat delights.
Janice Page, Boston Globe
A candid and enviably uncluttered film.
G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle
Episodic and meandering, with several tedious stretches.
Manohla Dargis, New York Times
Although its leisurely pace might be a bit tough going for restless Westerners, Mongolian Ping Pong is the kind of film that should be seen by children, not just adults.
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger
Like the best films about children -- and Iranian filmmakers have been particularly good at this -- it puts the camera right among them, and sees the often-confusing world of adults through their eyes.
Kam Williams, Upstage Magazine
A quarter century after the release of The Gods Must Be Crazy, this charming variation on the theme relies on a similar scenario to examine the lost innocence of another naive primitive.
Kam Williams, Mount Desert Islander
More atmospheric than funny, this deliberately paced picture features some of the most breathtaking cinematography of the year. Best of all, it makes a persuasive case against the voracious onslaught of so-called progress.
Louis Proyect, rec.arts.movies.reviews
Gorgeous coming of age tale featuring nonprofessional cast of Mongolian nomads.
David Cornelius, DVDTalk.com
Ping Pong intends to be a quiet meditation on the little things in life. It's also dreadfully dull.
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
Some judicious pruning could have turned this modestly entertaining, 101-minute film into a considerably better, 80- or 90-minute one.
Jonathan W. Hickman, Entertainment Insiders
An extremely beautiful film.
Ken Dubois, Reel.com
Mongolian Ping Pong takes you far, far away, and it's a beautiful place to be.
Saul Austerlitz, Boxoffice Magazine
Less concerned with its plot, which is gossamer-thin and not terribly involving, than with describing the nature of the lives these inhabitants of the remote steppe lead.
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
A unique, charming coming-of-age film.
Bill White, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
With wonderfully natural performances by the children, this is a family movie that crosses cultural boundaries in a celebration of the magical possibilities inherent in everyday objects.
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central
If only puerile wish-fulfillment didn't so often feel like patronizing bullcrap onscreen.
Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews
Mongolian Ping Pong will likely get only limited art house exposure and this will be a shame.
Laura Clifford, Reeling Reviews
...nothing will prepare you for the sheer beauty of this flat, verdant landscape whose horizon seems to stretch out into infinity.
Matthew Smith, Film Journal International
Affecting feature from first-time director is an exercise in restraint.

Read all 20 critic reviews

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Cast

Hurichabilike
as Bilike
Dawa
as Dawa
Giliban

Badema
as Bilike's Mother
Yidexinnaribu
as Bilike's Father
Geliban
as Erguotou

See full cast

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