''Cell Phone'' () is a 2003 Chinese

comedy-drama Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...

film directed by

Feng Xiaogang Feng Xiaogang ( zh, s=冯小刚, t=馮小剛, p=Féng Xiǎogāng; born 18 March 1958 in Beijing) is a Chinese filmmaker and actor. Rising to fame for directing comedies, Feng played a pivotal role in shaping the Chinese New Year films, with f ...

and starring Ge You, Zhang Guoli, Xu Fan and Fan Bingbing. It was first released on 18 December 2003 in mainland China and was subsequently screened at the Cleveland International Film Festival on 18 March 2005. With box office earnings of over ¥50 million, ''Cell Phone'' became the highest-grossing domestic film in 2003. Written by Liu Zhenyun, based on his novel of the same title, the film revolves around two successful men whose marriages were wrecked when their wives uncovered their extramarital affairs through traces left on their cell phones. More broadly, the film explores the role of cell phones in complex interpersonal relationships in modern China, where the rapidly expanding use of information technology impacts the way people communicate.

Plot

Yan Shouyi is a TV host who has an affair with Wu Yue (Fan Bingbing), a young and attractive woman working in publishing. Yan diligently erases all text messages and call records between him and Wu on his cellphone before he gets home everyday, in order to avoid detection by his wife Yu Wenjuan (Lu Zhang). One night, after telling Yu that he has a work meeting with Fei Mo (Zhang Guoli), a TV producer and Yan's superior, Yan rendezvous with Wu and switches off his cellphone. Not being able to reach Yan a while later, Yu calls Fei, who has been in the know of Yan's affair.

Cast

* Ge You as Yan Shouyi (S: 严守一, T: 嚴守一, P: ''Yán Shǒuyī''), a TV host * Zhang Guoli as Fei Mo (S: 费墨, T: 費墨, P: ''Fèi Mò''), a TV producer, Yan's superior * Xu Fan as Shen Xue (C: 沈雪, P: ''Shěn Xuě''), a teacher at an arts academy, Yan's lover after his divorce with his wife * Fan Bingbing as Wu Yue (C: 武月, P: ''Wǔ Yuè''), a young attractive woman working in publishing who has an affair with Yan * Lu Zhang as Yu Wenjuan (S: 于文娟, T: 於文娟, P: ''Yú Wénjuān''), Yan's wife who divorces him when she discovers his affair with Wu * Zhao Kulier as Li Yan * Huang Suying as Yan's Grandmother * Yang Xin as Lu Gui Hua / Niu Cai Yun * Yong Mei as Xiao Su

Reception

The popularity of ''Cell Phone'' among the cinema-goers is evident in its strong

box office A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicket. ...

performance. Having achieved ¥50 million in box office within a month after release, the film became the best-selling domestic production in 2003. It was 2003's highest-grossing film in China, with a total of ( $6.4 million). The film also clinched all three top awards at the 2004

Hundred Flowers Awards The Hundred Flowers Awards () are, together with the Golden Rooster Awards, the most prestigious film awards honouring the best in Chinese cinema, as well as Hong Kong cinema and the Cinema of Taiwan. They are classified as the Chinese equiv ...

, which is based on viewer voting. However, it failed to bag any award or even acquire nomination for any of the major awards at the jury-based

Golden Rooster Awards The Golden Rooster Awards () are film awards given in mainland China. The awards were originally given annually, beginning in 1981. The name of the award came from the year of the Rooster in 1981. Award recipients receive a statuette in the sha ...

in the same year. According to Golden Rooster's leading juror Zhong Chengxiang, albeit being popular among viewers, ''Cell Phone'' lacked "class and style". Producer Wang Zhongjun retorted that viewers' approval is of the utmost importance and rejected the Golden Rooster as an award that has "not a single bit of commercial driving force". On the other hand, the official

Huabiao Awards China Huabiao Film Awards (), also simply known as Huabiao Awards, is an annual awards ceremony for Chinese cinema. Named after the decorative Chinese winged columns (''huabiaos''), The Huabiao Awards were first instituted in 1957 as the Minist ...

gave out an unprecedented special award to ''Cell Phone'' for its achievements in "market development", signifying official recognition of the market forces and taste of the masses. Television presenter Cui Yongyuan expressed dissatisfaction with the film, claiming to be the prototype for the character Yan Shouyi. Cui’s feud with Feng escalated in 2018 when Feng announced a sequel to the film, leading to Cui's exposure of tax evasion in the Chinese entertainment industry and the blacklisting of actress Fan Bingbing.

Accolades

, 2004 ** Market Development Award ** Best Film (nominated) ** Best New Actress (nominated) — Fan Bingbing *

, 2004 ** Best Supporting Actor (nominated) — Zhang Guoli ** Best Supporting Actress (nominated) — Fan Bingbing ** Best Cinematography (nominated) ** Best Art Direction (nominated) *

, 2004 ** Best Film ** Best Actor — Ge You ** Best Actor (nominated) — Zhang Guoli ** Best Actress — Fan Bingbing ** Best Actress (nominated) — Xu Fan

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cell Phone 2003 films 2003 comedy-drama films Chinese comedy-drama films Films directed by Feng Xiaogang Films set in Beijing Films with screenplays by Liu Zhenyun Huayi Brothers films 2000s Mandarin-language films