The movie tells the life story of one of the greatest Go players of all time: Wu Qingyuan, more famous under the name Go Seigen. If chess is like a swimming competition in the swimming hall. Go is like a race in the ocean sea.
This movie is easily overlooked. First it is in Chinese only. Secondly it is about the ancient board game Go. However it isn't really about Go. The images are beautiful, the film is slow paced. But it's not a slow-paced art-house movie (like 'the Assassin'), it is about dedicating ones life to a certain task, and to this task only. The film shows phases in Wu Qingyuan's life where he is struggling with his inner fears, where he abandoned Go, but ultimately is drawn back. He's afraid of giving it his all, and receiving nothing in return. He is drawn back because it has become his life. This movie could be about any kind of sport, or any kind of story about a men who faces great adversity with greater passion.
Someone once said, the more specific something is, the more universal it becomes. It couldn't be more true.
