Beijing 2008

\i Ji 2008\i0 would have been just as appropriate a title for this film, which observes the year 2008 entirely from the point of view of thirty-something Ji, a resident of Beijing, the city in which the Olympic Games are taking place. Ji senses an opportunity to make some money on the back of this sporting event. Brimming with optimism, he quits his job to chase the new Chinese dream of commercial success. This turns out to be more difficult than he imagined, but Ji will not be discouraged. 2008 is a busy year for him: alongside his many business meetings, he wants to pursue his interest in Buddhism, he is forced to go on a diet, and he tries to devote enough attention to his wife. He obviously fails in the latter, as she leaves him. The big wedding photo, from which the couple stare out hopefully into the future, is taken down and stored under the empty marital bed. At a reunion with old college friends, Ji lets his emotions run wild. A rare moment, because although the camera follows Ji extremely closely, he doesn't let it see too much of his inner world. His vision of life is revealed more in his commentary on the current affairs that flash by on his flat-screen TV.