Beijing Bicycle 2002

In the bustling metropolis of Beijing, seventeen-year-old Guei (Cui Lin), a rustic country boy, has traded in his rural roots for the promise of urban opportunities. Alongside fellow countryside migrants, he finds employment with a courier company, where they’re issued brand-new bicycles to facilitate their deliveries. The manager (Xie Jian) outlines the terms: until the bikes belong to them, they’ll only earn 20% commission; but once they’ve earned enough, that percentage will skyrocket to 50%. Guei is no slouch and quickly earns his own set of wheels within two months. However, on the fateful day he’s supposed to take ownership, disaster strikes: his prized bicycle is stolen while he’s collecting a package. The manager fires him for negligence, but after a heartfelt plea, agrees to rehire Guei if he can recover his stolen bike.

Meanwhile, at the opposite end of town, Jian (Li Bin), another seventeen-year-old schoolboy, harbors a deep longing for a bicycle that will allow him to ride alongside Xiao (Gao Yuanyuan), the object of his affections. His hopes are repeatedly dashed when his father (Zhao Yiwei) delays buying a bike for him, opting instead to splurge on his younger stepsister Rong Rong’s (Zhou Fanfei) education at an elite school. Frustrated and feeling stuck, Jian resorts to stealing money from his family to purchase a second-hand bicycle – one that just so happens to be Guei’s old ride.

As fate would have it, Guei’s friend Mantis (Liu Lei) stumbles upon Jian flaunting the stolen bike. A determined Guei sets out to reclaim his rightful property, but is thwarted by Jian and his gang of schoolboys. Undeterred, Guei tracks Jian down and retrieves the bicycle from its hiding spot. The manager stands true to his word, welcoming Guei back to the courier company. However, when Guei returns another day, he’s met with a surprise: Jian and his cohorts are waiting for him. A tense confrontation ensues, ending in Guei being beaten and forced to relinquish the bicycle once more.

As Jian steps into his childhood home, he’s met with an unexpected confrontation - his father, his ire fueled by suspicion, stands alongside Guei at the threshold. The patriarch’s indignation is palpable as he accuses Jian of pilfering a bicycle, and in a fit of pique, relinquishes the coveted vehicle to Guei, permitting his son to take it no more. However, Jian and his cohorts refuse to let the matter rest, tracking down Guei once more the next day and engaging in a grueling negotiation that ultimately yields an uneasy truce: from then on, both parties will share the bicycle, each claiming dominion over it on alternating days.

This precarious arrangement holds for several days until Jian discovers his friend Xiao has fallen under the spell of Da Huan (Li Shuang), a mesmerizing free-riding virtuoso. Incensed by this betrayal, Jian unleashes his wrath upon his rival, striking him with a brick before mounting the now-reclaimed bicycle and riding off into the distance.

At their habitual meeting spot, Jian surrenders the bicycle to Guei, announcing that he no longer has need of it. Meanwhile, Da Huan and his entourage converge on Jian, their bicycles a blur as they give chase. In a desperate bid for freedom, Jian joins forces with Guei, but they soon find themselves cornered by the relentless pursuit of Da Huan’s gang. A brutal pummeling ensues, leaving both Jian and Guei battered and bruised.

As Da Huan’s entourage departs, one of its members lingers behind, intent on exacting revenge by crippling Guei’s bicycle. In a rare flash of fury, Guei seizes a brick and unleashes a devastating blow upon his tormentor, sending the attacker crashing to the ground. With his damaged bicycle slung over his shoulder, Guei trudges off alone, his spirit unbroken despite the physical toll inflicted upon him.