电影《老炮儿》：往回看是怀旧，往前看则是希望_大学英语阅读

电影《老炮儿》：往回看是怀旧，往前看则是希望

The movie Mr. Six recounts the story of a former gang leader named Mr. Six who spends his days in Beijing wandering the hutongs behind the popular Hou Hai district. Although he has long since abandoned his days of mob fights against rival gangs, he still occasionally involves himself in spats between the police and his friends, or even sometimes performing good deeds for those in need of money, as dictated by his personal code of jianghu (honour among criminals). His tranquil life is turned upside down when his estranged son is kidnapped by a gang of young people who have nothing guiding their actions except money and pleasure. The movie illustrates the clash of generations between Mr. Six and the rich young people, drawing particular emphasis on how the excess of money has spoiled the young generation into lacking any respect for either traditions or anyone outside their circle. Despite coming from a low social class and possessing a criminal background, Mr. Six and his former gang members (and later on, his son) were cast as the only characters who upheld the values of loyalty and honour found in old Beijing. The movie seemed to represent a pitiful call of nostalgia for a simpler time and simpler relationships between those called friends and family.

While my parents fell in love with the movie, I found that I drew grimmer conclusions. Speaking as a young person who still needs to worry about making a living, I agreed with Mr. Six’s son when he confronted his father over his lack of applicable skills. His son accused his father of being a thug, which only sent him to jail for his constant fighting, no matter who he was sticking up for. As my record of rejected job applications keep reminding me, loyalty and honour are not employable. If students nowadays cannot find jobs even with advanced degrees, how can they have the time to always be there for their friends during moments of trouble? Although the movie portrays Mr. Six as the paragon of old world values despite his criminal background and low social class, I cannot fully endorse Mr. Six as a role model for me and my generation. While Mr. Six stays rooted in the past because it is the only thing he knows (and frankly, wants to know), young people should be seizing every opportunity they can to expand their horizons. Innovation must be at the forefront of our minds, from fields like science to literature to even politics. As both business and social connections weave the world together, we must spend our energy embracing the values of entrepreneurship and ambition in order to have the best chance of making a living.