A literate young woman, whose family has fallen on tough times, becomes a concubine to a rich nobleman and must contend with his other mistresses while learning the ropes at his cloistered estate. Yimou Zhang's Raise the Red Lantern slowly grows on you, gradually involving you in its unique story with its sumptuous visuals, a remarkable performance from Li as an off-putting though comprehensible character, and a haunting, perfectly realized climax.
*** 1/2 out of ****
