 Overall , critics were impressed with the performances of the amateur actors , and Jean @-@ Michel <unk> of Le Monde called that the film 's greatest success . Peter Rainer of New York Magazine praised the scene of Wei 's interview on TV as " one of the most improbably satisfying love scenes on film " . The film also received praise for its artistic merits and Hou Yong 's cinematography , even though its visuals were simplistic compared to Zhang 's previous films ; for example , A.O. Scott of The New York Times praised the " richness " displayed by the film despite its deliberate scarcity of color . Reviewers also pointed out that Zhang had succeeded in breaking away from the " commercial entertainment wave " of popular film . Noel Vera of <unk> writes that the film concerns itself mainly with emotional impact , at the expense of visual extravagance , making it the opposite of earlier Zhang Yimou films such as Red Sorghum . Other critics noted the strength of the film 's storytelling ; for instance , Rainer called the film an " uncommon , and uncommonly moving , love story " , and Film Journal International 's Kevin Lally described it as " a poignant story of poverty and spirit reminiscent of the great Italian neo @-@ realists . " Another well @-@ received part of the film was the segment in which Wei teaches math by creating practical examples out of her attempt to raise money for the bus to Zhangjiakou ; in the Chinese journal Teacher Doctrines , Mao Wen wrote that teachers should learn from Wei 's example and provide students with practical exercises . 
