YNOT at the Movies

"Road in the Air" ("單車上路", also called "脚踏车的祝福" and "Bicycle Odyssey") is claimed to be the first road film from Taiwan. But instead of traveling in cars, they are on bicycles, on an incredible life changing journey.

Lin Zhengyi is a cop who is consumed by the guilt because he didn't protect his partner during a police operation. A-Guo is a troubled young man who is on the run after he accidentally set a shop on fire. After they become friends, their life changing events create a bond between these two strangers and they start to drift together on bikes on the breathtaking Su-hua Highway in Taiwan's Taroko National Park.

That's where they met another two female characters of the film: a girl who is searching for her mom and Canadian student traveling around the world. They become friends and they share their innocence, confusion, past, and their dreams. Even they make mistakes sometimes in their lives, they are not bad people. Eventually they continue on their own journey to find redemption, closure, destination, and hope.

This is a coming of age story about four young strangers cross their paths looking for answers, and about their lives and avoiding the troubles they get involved. It's a very sweet film with very charming characters. I credit that to a great script and the terrific acting. What I like a lot about this film is that the dialogue in the film. They are so natural and exactly what these characters would say at those given moments.

I am very happy to have the pleasure to travel with these characters and get to know them. It's a beautiful trip, and I am not just talking about the scenery.

My rating: 9 out of 10.