An Elephant Sitting Still
2018 · 230 min · Director: Bo Hu, Hu Bo
Show plot summary (may contain spoilers)
In the northern Chinese city of Manzhouli, they say there is an elephant that simply sits and ignores the world. Manzhouli becomes an obsession for the protagonists of this film, a longed-for escape from the downward spiral in which they find themselves. Among them is schoolboy Bu, on the run after pushing Shuai down the stairs, who was bullying him previously. Bu's classmate Ling has run away from her mother and fallen for the charms of her teacher. Shuai's older brother Cheng feels responsible for the suicide of a friend. And finally, along with many other characters whose fates are inextricably bound together, there's Mr. Wang, a sprightly pensioner whose son wants to offload him onto a home. In virtuoso visual compositions, the film tells the story of one single suspenseful day from dawn to dusk, when the train to Manzhouli is set to depart.
Emotional fingerprint
An Elephant Sitting Still (2018) — Movie. Top emotional signals: Melancholy 35%, Empathy 25%, Anxiety 20%. Source: AI estimate. Shares describe emotional signal, not percentages of people. Your experience may differ. How we measure
- Melancholy35%
- Empathy25%
- Anxiety20%
- Relief10%
- Hope10%
AI estimate · no viewer votes yet
How we measure
AI estimate
Share of emotional signal, not the percentage of people or a probability of enjoyment.
Each viewer contributes one response, split equally across their selected emotions. When available, an automated estimate supplies a prior that is blended with those responses. Counts include distinct viewers, not automated estimates or archived anonymous votes. Fewer than 3 viewers is an early estimate; more responses do not guarantee certainty.
Why it feels this way
The strongest emotional signals are Melancholy, Empathy, Anxiety. Genres: Drama, Crime. AI estimate.
Is it worth watching?
Consider this title if you are looking for Melancholy, Empathy and Anxiety. Its IMDb rating of 7.8/10 suggests a generally positive audience reception. For these leading emotions, its Feel Score is 74/100.
How did it make you feel?
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Pick up to three · 0/3
Emotional journey
- Sympathy
- Sadness
- Tension
Not enough subtitle evidence
No dominant emotion
Dominant emotion: Sadness
Dominant emotion: Sympathy
Dominant emotion: Tension
Dominant emotion: Disturbing
Dominant emotion
| % | Approximate minute | Dominant emotion | Overall intensity | Sympathy | Sadness | Tension |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 % | ≈ 6′ | Sadness | 43 % | 37 % | 33 % | 28 % |
| 7.5 % | ≈ 17′ | Sympathy | 48 % | 43 % | 35 % | 35 % |
| 12.5 % | ≈ 29′ | Sympathy | 54 % | 45 % | 40 % | 40 % |
| 17.5 % | ≈ 40′ | Sadness | 64 % | 48 % | 46 % | 46 % |
| 22.5 % | ≈ 52′ | Tension | 71 % | 51 % | 44 % | 60 % |
| 27.5 % | ≈ 63′ | Tension | 74 % | 57 % | 50 % | 61 % |
| 32.5 % | ≈ 75′ | Sadness | 74 % | 63 % | 59 % | 54 % |
| 37.5 % | ≈ 86′ | Sympathy | 66 % | 57 % | 50 % | 50 % |
| 42.5 % | ≈ 98′ | Sympathy | 60 % | 49 % | 40 % | 49 % |
| 47.5 % | ≈ 109′ | Tension | 68 % | 49 % | 43 % | 51 % |
| 52.5 % | ≈ 121′ | Disturbing | 76 % | 53 % | 51 % | 53 % |
| 57.5 % | ≈ 132′ | Tension | 74 % | 50 % | 55 % | 55 % |
| 62.5 % | ≈ 144′ | Sadness | 71 % | 53 % | 59 % | 59 % |
| 67.5 % | ≈ 155′ | Tension | 76 % | 56 % | 58 % | 68 % |
| 72.5 % | ≈ 167′ | Tension | 79 % | 54 % | 50 % | 73 % |
| 77.5 % | ≈ 178′ | Sympathy | 75 % | 55 % | 46 % | 69 % |
| 82.5 % | ≈ 190′ | Tension | 76 % | 61 % | 53 % | 66 % |
| 87.5 % | ≈ 201′ | Sadness | 83 % | 65 % | 61 % | 66 % |
| 92.5 % | ≈ 213′ | Tension | 84 % | 66 % | 61 % | 58 % |
| 97.5 % | ≈ 224′ | Sadness | 82 % | 70 % | 65 % | 37 % |
Man in a hole
Rags to riches: The emotional tone rises from negative to positive.
Riches to rags: The emotional tone falls from positive to negative.
Man in a hole: The tone falls, then recovers.
Icarus: The tone rises, then falls.
Cinderella: The tone rises, falls, then rises again.
Oedipus: The tone falls, rises, then falls again.
AI reading of the film’s English subtitles (dialogue and sound cues) — not viewer votes. How we measure ↗
Kadri — your film companion
AIAsk anything about An Elephant Sitting Still. From the film’s own dialogue and FeelDB data, at your spoiler level.
Afterward Reveal viewer responses · may contain spoilers
Viewer responses about feelings after the title ended, separate from feelings while watching. No AI estimates.
0 responses so far
Feeling details appear after at least 3 viewers respond, to protect privacy.
Cast
Wei Bu
Huang Ling
Wang Jin
Li Kai
Yu Shuai
Wang Jin's Daughter
Wang Jin's Son-in-Law
Wang Jin's Granddaughter
Yu Cheng's Friend
Wife of Yu Cheng's Friend
Yu Cheng's Lover
Wei Bu's Father
Wei Bu's Mother
White Dog's Female Owner
White Dog's Male Owner
Mother of Yu Cheng's Friend
Scalper
Yu Cheng's Mother
Dean
Details
- Directed by
- Bo Hu, Hu Bo
- Written by
- Bo Hu, Hu Bo
- Type
- Movies
- Released
- 2018
- Runtime
- 230 min
- Country
- China
- Ratings
- Feels mostly
- Melancholy
- Data updated
Where to watch
Feels similar
More like this →Emotion overlap shows mood similarity, not a prediction of enjoyment.
