Hsiao-lee smiles only twice in the entire film—when she goes to karaoke with Li-li, and when Li-li returns after a prolonged absence. A girl who doesn’t show emotions, Hsiao-lee lives with her abusive alcoholic father, harsh hairstylist mother, and a younger sister who monopolizes their mother’s love. They are all crammed in a small apartment atop a building, reachable only by steep stairs. When her father smashes household items and strikes her mother, Hsaio-lee can only retreat to a corner of the closet—her only private space—and have nightmares. One day, she meets Li-li, a transfer student from an American school, and begins dreaming of escape. Set in 1988, Girl transports audience to those times through evocative colors and tightly constructed mise-en-scene. Hsiao-lee’s mother, credited only as ‘Woman,’ is unable to escape from the past wounds that define her present. Her wounds are directly passed down to Hsiao-lee, creating new ones. Girl builds an intricate narrative by layering the characters’ concentrated emotions and their clashes. This narrative grows even more powerful through the actors’ detailed performances and a camera that tenaciously delves into cramped spaces. Writer-director Shu Qi proves her directorial prowess in this film, successfully announcing herself as a promising new director.
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