Drama

Beijing Bicycle (2002): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Name: Beijing Bicycle
Genre: Drama
Released: 2002-01-25
Duration: 1 h 53 min
Cast: Lin Cui, Xun Zhou

Beijing Bicycle is a 2002 drama directed by Xiaoshuai Wang, starring Lin Cui and Xun Zhou. It runs 1 hour 53 minutes and earned $215,854 worldwide. Critics gave it 62% on Rotten Tomatoes and 61 on Metacritic.

Rotten Tomatoes: 62%
worldwide gross: $215.9K
Metascore: 61

Loading streaming availability…

Watch the trailer Read the plot summary

Released: January 25, 2002
Runtime: 1h 53m (113 min)
Director: Xiaoshuai Wang
Genre: Drama
Original language: Chinese
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics
After the credits: No No extra scene

The story

What Is Beijing Bicycle About?

The premise of Beijing Bicycle without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A determined young man from the countryside arrives in Beijing, hoping to find his place in the sprawling city. He works as a bicycle messenger, desperately striving to earn enough money to own his own bike, a symbol of independence and belonging. When his prized bicycle is stolen by a local boy, Jian, who wants to impress a girl and gain acceptance, a fierce rivalry begins. The two boys engage in a series of confrontations as they fight for possession of the coveted vehicle, which represents far more than just transportation.

Loading streaming availability…

Cast & crew

Beijing Bicycle Cast

Lin Cui leads the cast, with Xun Zhou. Directed by Xiaoshuai Wang.

Director Xiaoshuai Wang

From the director

More from Xiaoshuai Wang

More films directed by Xiaoshuai Wang, best-rated first: Chinese Portrait, 11 Flowers and Biandan, guniang.

Full filmography

Ratings

Beijing Bicycle Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Beijing Bicycle 62% on Rotten Tomatoes and 61 on Metacritic.

Rotten Tomatoes

62% Tomatometer

Popcornmeter 73%
See on Rotten Tomatoes
Metacritic

61 Metascore

User score 8.0
See on Metacritic
TMDB

68% User score
See on TMDB

Plot

Beijing Bicycle Plot Summary

What happens in Beijing Bicycle from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Guei, portrayed by Lin Cui, is a 17-year-old rural boy who ventures to Beijing in search of work. Alongside several peers from his hometown, Guei secures a position at a courier company where they utilize brand-new bicycles for their deliveries. The company manager, Xie Jian, informs them that since the bicycles are not yet their property, they’ll receive just 20% of the commission. However, once they’ve completed enough deliveries to claim their bicycles, their earnings will increase to 50%. Within two months, Guei manages to earn the right to his own bike. Unfortunately, on the day he is to assume ownership, his bicycle is stolen while he is out retrieving a document.

Full summary

The whole story of Beijing Bicycle, scene by scene

Read the full summary