Ip Man, as a character, is by no means similar to those in WKW's previous films. He is open, strong, courageous, honorable, and resilient. That alone can already be considered a breakthrough to the director's creations. Here I just want to talk about one particular scene, my favorite, in which Ip Man met with Gong's assistant towards the end. I watched The Grandmaster on a flight from Hongkong, and I had to replay this scene three times: Once for ensuring what Gong Er says, a thought that most people probably want to agree but don't quite dare to agree: she chose to stay in a time when she felt happiest. Once for finding a clue: Ip Man hid his admiration only in the coat button, while Gong Er hid hers along with a whole life of buried happiness in that tiny box of hair ash... Sad as it was, how was Ip Man supposed to take this keepsake?! Once for "relishing" this unique WKW styled melancholy, the determination/stubbornness for love, whatever kind it might be. As to the music, despite the fact that Shigeru Umebayashi constantly partners with WKW, never could I expect the soundtrack of And Then 其後 would be reused here. This piece of music is too heartbreakingly beautiful. Although it has been in my soundtrack collection for many years, and I love it, I seldom listen to it. Hearing it in this long-awaited film exactly feels like finding something you lost since forever. The music is not original, but it does perfectly match the emotions of the characters, especially the sense of loss, rootlessness, and forlornness.
Review of The Grandmaster
