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The volleyball player is real in film without any acting experience. Peter Ho-sun Chan Director really a genius in catching each character real emotion on screen. Great tempo keep u awake till the end of film. Great edit between colour present and grey past time.Great performance by Gongli to portray the coach by following the real Lang Ping for weeks to observe and copy her every emotion and gesture..

It took a lot of research to re-enact the 1980's training ground.

The games, Bai Lang's acting, the volleyball players ex and current all acted well.

But perhaps it is difficult to portrait coach Lang Ping. Even without her professional ball skills and built, her charisma and focus is hard to duplicate.

Gong can only try stare hard but well attempts. Her hair styling is also a joke.

If Chen Kexin is willing to cast wife Wu Junru as lead. I am sure Wu will study Lang Ping's character well.

Next to nothing, Gong Li is the only middle age known actress in China. Just wondering if Wu or Michelle Yeoh could have done a better job.

Or if coach Lang Ping could act as her older self.

Touching movie, great scene setup, great movie angle n wonderful cast.

The movie obviously plays into the patriotic sentiment of the chinese people. For me personally, it was especially beautiful when it showed the difference in thinking of 2 generations of Chinese volleyball players. One was all about patriotic emotion backed hard training, limited resources and technology, the other one was about love for volleyball, personal pursuit and reaching dreams. Both teams were winners. The transformation in 30 years echoes with the changing lifestyle and thinking's of the chinese people. Well done!

China women national team always be my first watch team when I'm a teenage, being watching vb for 30 years make me irresistible to watch this movie in theater for sure.

The storyline is focus on Jenny Lang Ping and Chen Zhonghe for the past 40 years. The first hour is amazing lead by 2 non actors, one is Lang Ping real daughter, Lydia Bai, and another is a volleyball player Chen Zhan. On some level their acting is very natural and very moving for how the team got the first championship in history. In terms of the real-ness including the training environment and method of the coach, even the scene of tournament, it's close enough to the reality. For the first hour of story, I rate indeed an 8.

When time move to 2008, story turns to Chen Zhonghe head coach era. The disappointment then begins. It totally describes wrongly and act differently in the movie about Chen. The character is totally different from the real person. Chen is nothing like that and I believe all vb fans agreed on this. Even the real Chen complained on this that "dirty-ify" his image, I agree no more.

The post 2013 era becomes the players focus. It's little dramatic and that part also act by many non actors but real vb players. I would say it's hard to fit but can see players acting is something rare to see. I won't expect much but only enjoy watching real vb players act.

Overall speaking, the wrong description on Chen is the biggest failure on this movie. That part I only rate 4. Thus I give a 6 at the end. Some details may not be accurate but many are good enough especially the match scene and many well known retired players were seen, this part already priceless.

My favourite part of the movie is where Lang Ping was choosing the new players from the pools of players in the regional teams, other sports, etc. All talented people need a Bo Le, which is a Chinese saying to mean someone who recognises one's talent. The film abundantly shows the skill and strategy of Lang Ping as a coach, not to mention her dominating spirit both as a player and a coach. Kudos to Gong Li and to the director for capturing the raw emotions of the non-professional actors (real volleyball players!)

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