Modern Times

Movie: Last Train Home

My Rating: 4 stars

Here’s another film that I was sure I’d reviewed already.  I didn’t watch it quite as long ago as Pan’s Labyrinth, but it’s still been some time.  And, this is actually a film that I think about on a pretty regular basis.  The documentary just has so much to say about this new world we’re living in with the new economy and consumer culture taking over.  Plus, it has some pretty interesting points about the relationship between today’s youth generation that was born into this scene, and their parents, who have more traditional values and life goals.  There will always be some conflict between the different generations, but it feels to me like the clash featured in this story is particularly dramatic.  There have been so many technological advances in these kids’ lifetimes with the internet, wireless technology, and social networking, and this has driven a fair amount of social change as well.  We have information at our fingertips now, and we can connect to other people who may share our more obscure interests, even if they live half a world away.  I think this has created a youth culture that isn’t so concerned with privacy as their parents are, and one that feels like they don’t have to conform to the narrow life path that their guardians thought was necessary.

I’m making this description sound like it’s about a bunch of snotty, American kids, but it turns out that this phenomenon is also going on in China (and probably a lot of other places as well).  This documentary shows an interesting, new family dynamic in a China that is fueling the world’s appetite for cheap consumer products.  Since we’ll buy these goods as fast as China churns them out, there is a huge demand for factory workers.  Although, since there’s also a huge supply of people to fill those roles, wages are also pretty low.  But, this has created a family dynamic where parents leave their kids with grandma and grandpa, and head to the city to make some money.  The result is a generation of kids who don’t really know their parents, and don’t really care what they think (more than your typical, surly teen).  Families reunite once a year during the chaotic Chinese New Year, and they have to compete with the millions of other people who are also trying to get train tickets home.  You’ve never seen such mayhem.  Sometimes it takes several days to finally squeeze onto a train, and people have to wait at the station the whole time.  It looks so miserable.  Parents make this sacrifice of living apart because they want a better life for their families.  They want their kids to stay in school, so that they don’t have to compete in this unskilled labor market with the millions of other participants.  But, the kids are attracted to the lights of the city, and the allure of quick money.  Why would they want to waste time with school in their little, country, farm towns when there are night clubs and hair salons to go visit? 

This is one of those really interesting documentaries, where the viewers aren’t really sure whether they like any of the people in it.  The parents are aggressive and inflexible, and the kids are impetuous and contrarian.  Everyone is a little too stubborn for their own good, but really, who isn’t?  It’s really fascinating to see all these changes that America has gone through, also happening in another country.  But, it’s also a little frustrating watching these people clash over and over again, because you know they’ll never budge an inch.  Still, I highly recommend it.