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Parents' Guide to

Beijing Bicycle

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Great tale of two boys' struggle over a bicycle.

Movie PG-13 2002 113 minutes
Beijing Bicycle Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 1 parent review

AnthonyVasquez123
AnthonyVasquez123 Adult
November 2, 2022
age 11+

What’s the most important thing which is what the movie is about a A young country boy, Guei (Cui Lin) comes to the big city determined to make it. He soon finds a job as a bike messenger in which he gets a percentage of each delivery, working hard to build up enough credit to own the bike for himself. The bike is stolen and winds up in the hands of Jian (Li Bin), a poor city boy who sees the bike as his way to make friends and impress the girl he loves. With both boys claiming the bike is theirs, a series of fights ensue over what is more than just a bike.

I think this movie is fine, too my respective. this movie is about a young country boy, Guei (Cui Lin) comes to the big city determined to make it. He soon finds a job as a bike messenger in which he gets a percentage of each delivery, working hard to build up enough credit to own the bike for himself. The bike is stolen and winds up in the hands of Jian (Li Bin), a poor city boy who sees the bike as his way to make friends and impress the girl he loves. With both boys claiming the bike is theirs, a series of fights ensue over what is more than just a bike. But to my own positive review I think this movie is normal but a little bit boring.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Guei (Cui Lin), a poor country boy on the outskirts of present-day Beijing, works hard to earn enough to own the bicycle he rides for his delivery job. Just as he is just about to reach his goal, his bike is stolen. Guei searches tirelessly for it throughout the entire city. On the other side of town, Jian (Li Bin), a teenager about the same age as Guei, has a new bicycle which helps him win the affections of Xiao (Gao Yuanyuan). Meanwhile, Guei finally stumbles upon his missing two-wheeler and tries to retrieve it from a bike rack but a guard stops him. Guei somehow traces the bike to Jian, and seizes it. Jian gives chase, and what ensues are a series of incidents in which Guei and Jian steal the bike back and forth from each other, with Guei subjected to continuous brutal beatings by Jian and his gang. Eventually, after endless struggles, the boys agree to share, but further complications arise.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (11 ):

The two main actors in this movie did a very convincing job; the problem is that the symbolism probably does not translate across cultures. American viewers, who are used to automobiles as the principal mode of transportation, are unlikely to feel the way that Jian or Guei feel for the bike. Viewers will feel empathy for Guei, because actor Cui plays him as hard-working and as a fundamentally good person. Li Bin was very believable as the immature, self-centered, and dishonest Jian.

To American audiences, Beijing Bicycle may seem like a lot of pointless fights and hand-wringing over a common and easily-replaceable object. To understand the deeper meaning of the bicycle, viewers need to understand that in China, ownership of a bicycle is (or at least was) a sign of prosperity and resourcefulness and is a key mode of transportation. For the film's characters, the bicycle was equivalent to a first love. It filled their desires and needs, and it made them feel more mature and in control.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why Guei and Jian cannot live without the bicycle, and why their obsessions put them in danger and caused them to do things they normally would not do. Why is it that Guei's boss call him "the little engine that could"? Why does Jian believe the bicycle is rightfully his? Why does Guei believe the bicycle is rightfully his? Why does Jian give up the bicycle in the end? In American culture, what would be the equivalent of the bicycle to Guei and Jian? What similarities and differences are there in the way people live in Beijing and the way people in large cities live in the United States? Do Jian and Guei have anything in common other than their obsession with the bicycle?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: January 25, 2002
  • On DVD or streaming: July 9, 2002
  • Cast: Cui Lin , Lee Bin , Xun Zhou
  • Director: Wang Xiaoshuai
  • Inclusion Information: Female actors, Asian actors
  • Studio: Sony Pictures
  • Genre: Drama
  • Run time: 113 minutes
  • MPAA rating: PG-13
  • MPAA explanation: some violence and brief nudity.
  • Last updated: February 24, 2022

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