almost the entire film take place in a public bathhouse in china . there be no fancy set and explosion or glamorous people only fine writing and acting and direction ( hollywood and take note . ) . an estranged son return home when he believe his father be die . he be surprised to see that dad look fine and be go about run the family business a usual . in fact and he notice that his father and his retarded brother have really forge a close and caring relationship and it soon become obvious that he be out of the loop . dad be very traditional and this visit son be from the big city and doesn not really see the value of the old bathhouse . how their relationship change and where the plot go from there be exceptional and believable . i be happy to see that not every chinese movie be an action picture ( such a those star jet li or crouching tiger and hidden dragon ) and a i do not particularly care for these frenetic film . the shower as well a springtime in a small town be two wonderful example of good chinese film about people .