Netflix taught me of this film's existence and had been pushing it on me for a long time. I'm not sure why it estimated my rating at upwards of four stars, as I haven't watched and loved that many films like it, but it is a fine, solid drama with a mostly happy ending.
Given China, I couldn't tell for sure whether it's set in the '90s (edit: it's the '30s). The titular protagonist, Wang, is an elderly street performer of Bian Lian, the art of switching one's masks so rapidly that it looks like magic in the hands of a pro. Despite his low status, he does make the friendly acquaintance of a popular cross-dressing opera singer, who reminds him that he'd better pass his secret along before he can longer perform. Tradition holds that he teach a son or grandson. Not having any living relatives, Wang buys an abused eight-year-old orphan (yeah, it's that kind of culture) and shows grandfatherly love, until he learns something that would've dissuaded his purchase. Unfortunately, it's hard to talk about my thoughts on this movie without a few spoilers, so read on at your own risk.
The orphan is a tomboy. Good enough to surprise me when she fessed up, somewhat outdoing the opera singer. And what brought about the confession? Demand for an injury remedy based on boy urine. I knew that China wasn't big on western medicine, but yeesh.
As soon as Wang knows, he wants nothing more to do with the girl. Figures he can't even sell her (all the other kids up for sale were female too), so he gives her cash and shoves off in the smallish boat that suffices as his home. When she proves too stubborn to shake off that way, he relents but tells her to call him the word for "boss" while he calls her the word for "doggy." He won't teach her Bian Lian, but she can help his show along partly as an assistant and partly with her own impressive balancing act, no longer dressed as a boy.
You may well feel sour toward Wang at this point, even understanding how common his attitude may be in that setting. But he still manages to elicit almost as much pity as the girl at times. For starters, he has trouble making ends meet. PRC officers act aggressive toward him. And the girl accidentally makes things much worse for him more than once. When she finally turns his heart, it's a hard win for both of them.
I spent much of the film noting how rotten it could be to live there. Sexism, low economy, dubious superstition, certain rampant crimes...and when the police do arrest a suspect, they decide to pin ALL recent instances of the crime on him. Justice can't be their #1 priority. That's why I specified "mostly happy": The central individuals finally enjoy themselves, but the societal issues remain.
By now you should know whether you want to watch. If your taste in film is anything like mine, you probably will want to. When in the right mood.
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