“I will use my brush to paint your breath drifting through the air.”
During Romanticism, many painters and authors believed in the ability to build a bridge with the afterlife through their sheer will and creative power. Shrugged off as spiritual nonsense today, there is, however, no denying when it comes to the possibility of gaining immortality through a work of art. The artist, as a manipulator of time and space, always had a certain power over these aspects, so in the end, the possibility of overcoming mortal borders is not that far-fetched within the context of art.
For his new film “The Fatal Contract” Chinese director Tan Bing chose a similar starting point as his inspiration. In an interview with deadline.com, he says he knew a painter who was famous for depicting dead people almost exclusively, a notion Bing found quite fascinating. The most interesting aspect of the story was the decision to portray either life or death and the background which led to this point.
“The Fatal Contract” is distributed by TriCoast Worldwide
Additionally to its interesting premise, “The Fatal Contract” also made the headlines during its premiere at the Berlin Film Festival 2018 as it is Bai Ling's first feature set in China after she had been banned. Even though he knew about the controversial past of his leading actress, Bing mentions how China's economic growth demands a more international perspective, also in the film industry. Given Ling's international reputation for her roles in the TV series “Entourage” and her work with other directors like George Lucas and Oliver Stone, her home country's film industry could perhaps no longer ignore her growing fame. After all, as Ling points out in an interview, she had been planning to make a movie for her Chinese fans after such a long time and “The Fatal Contract” proved to be this opportunity.
Tu La (Zhao Yanguozhang) is the owner and bartender of a small bar. Bei Wei (Bai Ling), former model and mistress to a painter, has become a regular in his establishment enjoying his trademark cocktail – a drink he calls Lycoris Blossom – and his quiet company. Secretly, Tu La is also a painter, sneaking into the local crematorium to portray the recently deceased before they are burned to ashes. When art dealer and collector Lv Li (Tao Hong) becomes aware of these works, she is interested in Tu La creating a unique painting for her collection. He refuses her offer.
At the same time the deaths of many painters as well as their models have resulted in a police investigation led by Officer Li (Xuan Miao). Since Bei Wei is the prime suspect in the latest murder, Lv Li aims to use this to her advantage, especially since Tu La has fallen in love with Bei Wei.
One could sum up a movie such as “The Fatal Contract” very much like the first work of a painter, one showing a lot of promise, but also suffering from many flaws, most importantly in terms of its structure. At the beginning, the script written by Bing himself starts off promising to offer an interesting blend of drama and thriller surrounding the characters of Ling and Yanguozhang. In terms of acting, the narrative profits from the believable chemistry between the two lead actors, as their characters embrace the possibility of romance given after so many years of suffering and pain. Although there is always the chance of kitsch lurking in the corner, the juxtaposition to the Li's murder investigation or the calculating art collector serves as a fitting antithesis. At the same time, there is always the foreboding sense of love and romance doomed to fail, especially with characters so drawn to their darker side and death especially.
In her first role in a Chinese film for some time, actress Bai Ling gives a committed performance as a character tormented by a mysterious past as well as having been exploited by the males in her life. Her predilection for drinking and at times flashy fashion choices make her quite the antithesis to the silent Tu La, whose talent for mixing these drinks is the only form of public display he allows his creativity. As the romance between the two begins to fully bloom, Bing's film reaches its narrative peak, a physical act of devouring the other, of embracing the moment and the time with the other person. However, as art comes into play, the possibility of distance and exploitation at hand, we are aware of the fading undertone of this romance.
On the other hand, Bing's supporting cast also has some memorable moments. Hong's and Miao's character share one of the better written scenes of the film, a power play between two characters trying to control the fate of others. However, it is a shame that both the depiction of police work, as reviewer Redmond Bacon also points out, as well as the world of art, fail to convince. The design of their characters is often severely hurt at how cliched and downright nonsensical some of the scenes and dialogue is written. Considering “The Fatal Contract” is also a thriller, it is sad to witness just how soon everything seems to be said and done for this part of the film. Shockingly, the rest of the romance does not fare any better as the balance between romance and kitsch is more inclined towards the latter.
Visually, Wang Xingyuan's camera, along with the editing by Li Dianshi and Yan Riopeng, supports the character's struggle for happiness and romance, but also the constant confusion between art and reality. Bright colors and a good sense for the individual sets provides “The Fatal Contract” with an interesting look coinciding with both, the more romantic and the fatal notions of the characters.
“The Fatal Contract” has many good ideas – the relationship of art and life, of love and reality as well as romance and art – but fails to deliver a convincing narrative to support them. For all its good intentions, this is an unsatisfying film to watch for its tendency to support the confusion of the characters, in terms of narration and visuals, often ends in irritation and even annoyance.
Sources:
1) White, Peter (2018) Tan Bing Lifts The Lid On Bai Ling Drama & Future of Chinese Film Business
https://deadline.com/2018/02/chinese-director-tan-bing-lifts-the-lid-on-bai-ling-drama-future-of-chinese-film-business-berlin-1202293905/, last accessed on: 07/26/2018
2) Bai Ling Interview: Fatal Contract
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjSXxsVkXGw, last accessed on: 07/26/2018
3) Bacon, Redmond (2018) ‘The Fatal Contract Completely Misuses Its Intriguing Gothic Premise
https://www.goombastomp.com/the-fatal-contract/, last accessed on: 07/26/2018
Bai Ling’s greatest performance will always be in CRANK 2.