In the latest addition to Chinese cinema, director Feng Xiaogang’s We Girls presents a crime drama focused on two ex-convict women striving to reclaim their lives after prison. Starring Zhao Liying and Lan Xiya, the film offers a predominantly female-led narrative set against the backdrop of China’s rehabilitative justice system.
The story follows Gao Yuexiang (Zhao Liying), who turns to online strip performances as a “cam girl” to raise 200,000 yuan (approximately US$28,000) for a cochlear implant for her deaf daughter. Her choices lead to imprisonment, where she is assigned by corrections officer Deng Hong (Chuo Ni) to assist Mao Amei (Lan Xiya), a deaf-mute pickpocket, by translating sign language within the prison community.
We Girls attempts to portray China’s prison system as a safe and compassionate institution aimed at reform rather than punishment. However, the film’s tone leans heavily toward moralistic lessons, often feeling didactic in its condemnation of societal greed and neglect toward the disabled and disenfranchised. This approach detracts from the emotional depth and nuance typically expected from a compelling crime thriller.
The narrative encourages solidarity among women, emphasizing their resilience in the face of betrayal by the men in their lives—a common theme in contemporary Chinese movie genre explorations. Yet, the plot’s predictability and overt messaging prevent the film from fully engaging its audience, leaving it struggling to find balance between social commentary and storytelling.
While the film contributes to the ongoing discourse in the film industry regarding marginalized voices, it ultimately falls short of capturing the raw complexities of life after incarceration. Fans of crime dramas looking for gritty, authentic portrayals might find We Girls overly sanitized and moralizing.
For viewers interested in a deeper dive into the genre, exploring other crime movie plots may provide more satisfying narratives that blend suspense with social realism.
