Not One Less (Yi ge dou bu neng shao)

Not One Less (Yi ge dou bu neng shao) (2000)

  • 95% of critics liked it
    (43 reviews)

  • 88% of users liked it
    (5,490 ratings)

In a village in China mired in poverty, Gao (Gao Enman) is the lone teacher in a school so threadbare he must ration chalk to make sure he has enough for the day. The destitution of the village is not limited to the school; some of the children sleep in the schoolhouse because they have nowhere else… More

Unrated, 1 hr. 46 min.
Directed By
Yimou Zhang
Written By
Xiangsheng Shi
Genres
Drama, Comedy
In Theaters
Feb 18, 2000 Wide
On DVD
Aug 22, 2000
Columbia TriStar Films

Critic Reviews

  • Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

    This thematic 'lesson' is served up with non-didactic grace complemented by tiny bursts of humour.

  • Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

    For Chinese viewers, this film will play as a human drama. For Western viewers, there's almost equal interest at the edges of the screen, in the background, in the locations and incidental details that show daily life in today's China.

  • Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee

    This alternately sad-funny film sneaks up on you. Its ability to grab us is surprising because it does so little, because it's so spare -- so unadorned and unpretentious.

  • A.O. Scott, New York Times

    Despite its deliberate austerity, Not One Less is extraordinarily rich.

  • Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com

    That these non-actors are able to so convincingly bring this highly emotional fictional story to life is the true mark of a master filmmaker at work.

Read all 8 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

  • Cynthia S


    Do you have a heart that beats inside your body? If you do, then you will like this film. It starts out a little slow, but gets better in the middle and ends with a powerful climax. Yimou Zhang direction is perfect. He just simply tells the story, and it looks great. There is no ego,… More

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