"Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress" it is not a movie without flaws, by any means. The manner in which it portrays literature and classical music as being magically transformative is a little syrupy and snobbish (not to mention wildly unbelievable), but hey - they only had two hours to try to explain how great books and music can speak to the soul, so I have to cut them some slack. The oppressive Communist Chinese "re-education" program was clearly criticized. There were many characters in the film who spoke directly about freedom. So the message was loud and clear, both for freedom and against oppression. Throw in a sweet love story, stunning landscapes, and appealing main characters, and it's a winning combination.