Not One Less

2000

Not One Less

Critics Consensus

No consensus yet.

90%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 5,848

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Not One Less Photos

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Movie Info

Teacher Gao loves the students in his poor village and is devoted to educating them in the hope of their greater futures. When he is called away to tend to his dying mother for a month, the Mayor calls in an inexperienced 13 year-old replacement, Wei Minzhi; much to Teacher Gao's dismay. Teacher Gao cannot stand the thought of losing anymore students: he has already lost twelve to ever-increasing attrition, and he promises Wei an extra 10 yuan if she succeeds in ensuring that upon his return, there will be not one less. Wei's difficult mission to fulfill Teacher Gao's wish and her own concern for the welfare of the children begins.

Rating:

G
Genre:

Comedy, Drama
Directed By:

Zhang Yimou
Written By:

Xiangsheng Shi, Xiangsheng Shi
In Theaters:

Feb 18, 2000 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Aug 22, 2000
Runtime:

106 minutes
Studio:

Sony Classics

Cast

Wei Minzhi
as Wei Minzhi

Zhang Huike
as Zhang Huike

Tian Zhenda
as Village Chief

Gao Enman
as Teacher Gao

Feng Yuying
as TV Receptionist

Li Fanfan
as TV Host

Liu Hanzhi
as Zhang Huike's Mother

Sun Zhimei
as Sun Zhimei

Zhang Yichang
as Mr. Zhang

Xu Zhanqing
as Brick Factory Owner

Ma Guolin
as Bus Station Man

Wu Wanlu
as TV Station Manager

Liu Ru
as Train Station Announcer

Wang Shulan
as Stationery Store Clerk

Fu Xinmin
as TV Station Director

Bai Mei
as Restaurant Owner

Zhang Mingshan
as Student

Jiao Jie
as Student

Rong Huimin
as Student

Sun Zhiwei
as Student

Ming Xinhong
as Student

Tian Xuewei
as Student

Li Mei
as Student

Li Lingyu
as Student

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News & Interviews for Not One Less

Zhang Yimou’s 10 Best Movies

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Critic Reviews for Not One Less

All Critics (44) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (42) | Rotten (2)

Quote not available.

September 7, 2011 | Rating: B- | Full Review…

Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
Top Critic
This thematic 'lesson' is served up with non-didactic grace complemented by tiny bursts of humour.

March 22, 2002 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Rick Groen
Globe and Mail
Top Critic
Quote not available.

February 18, 2000 | Rating: B- | Full Review…

Entertainment Weekly
Top Critic
Small movie, big impact.

January 1, 2000 | Rating: A-

Eleanor Ringel Cater
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Top Critic
Despite its deliberate austerity, Not One Less is extraordinarily rich.

January 1, 2000 | Rating: 4/5

A.O. Scott
New York Times
Top Critic
This is the kind of intelligent, probing picture where you get the chance to absorb every detail of the girl's experience, and the director's reserved approach exerts a strong, hypnotic hold.

January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

BBC.com
Top Critic
The relentlessly small scale of Not One Less is essential to its power.

April 3, 2017 | Rating: 7/10 | Full Review…

Sarah Boslaugh
Playback:stl
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.

January 3, 2010 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com
no one makes more beautiful films than Zhang Yimou. No one captures the intrinsic character of the Chinese people more indelibly as well

April 4, 2007 | Rating: B | Full Review…

John A. Nesbit
Old School Reviews
Quote not available.

December 30, 2006 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Empire Magazine
Quote not available.

July 24, 2006 | Rating: B+ | Full Review…

Frank Swietek
One Guy's Opinion
Quote not available.

December 6, 2005 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Film Threat

View All Critic Reviews (44)

Audience Reviews for Not One Less

Feb 06, 2012

Lovely film about a teacher's mission to ensure that children are still educated when he is challenged with a personal responsibility for a month.

John B Super Reviewer
Dec 04, 2010

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, or fancy editing. The kids in this film are about the cutest things I've ever seen, and are very true to life. In fact, all of this film is very true to life......and like life, it can be beautiful and sad at the same time.

Cynthia S Super Reviewer