Be Water

2020 American documentary film

Be Water

Film poster

Directed by| Bao Nguyen
Produced by|

* Julia Nottingham
* Bao Nguyen
* Gentry Kirby
* Erin Leyden
* Adam Neuhaus

Cinematography| Caleb Heller
Edited by| Graham Taylor
Music by|

* Goh Nakamura
* Ton That An

Production
company

Dorothy Street Pictures

Release date

* January 2020 (2020-01) (Sundance)

Running time

| 104 minutes
Country| United States
Languages|

* English
* Chinese

Be Water is a documentary film that premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and is directed by Bao Nguyen.[1] It is about Bruce Lee, a famous martial artist. It uses significant amounts of archival footage, and focuses on Lee's two years in Hong Kong spent filming four feature films.[2] Reviewers think it is a compelling film.[3] It is part of ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary series and the film tackles racism in America.[4][5][6] In a GQ interview, Nguyen talks about how this film represents protest and fits the zeitgeist, with many more Asian-American films being released as contemporaries.[7] As of February 19, 2021, it is on Netflix. It won the Gold List Award in 2021.

## Reception

[edit]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an aggregate score of 93% based on 28 positive and 2 negative critic reviews. The website’s consensus reads: "If Be Water's surface level approach doesn't quite match its subject's depth, it still serves as an appropriate introduction to the almighty Bruce Lee."[8] The Hollywood Reporter praised the film as it serves as a respectful response to Bruce Lee's demeaning portrayal in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," where he was reduced to a white he-man joke, it falls short of being a comprehensive exploration of the martial arts icon's life and influence. The documentary's strengths lie in its compelling use of historical footage and its thoughtful analysis of the systemic racism that hindered Lee's progress in Hollywood until he established himself as a commercial force in Hong Kong.[9]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "be-water". www.sundance.org. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
2. ^ Harvey, Dennis (February 4, 2020). "'Be Water': Film Review". Variety. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
3. ^ "'Be Water': Film Review | Sundance 2020 | Hollywood Reporter". www.hollywoodreporter.com. February 4, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
4. ^ "BE WATER: Director Bao Nguyen Reveals Bruce Lee's Fight Against Racism in America". Den of Geek. June 5, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
5. ^ "How Bao Nguyen's documentary Be Water unpacks the human being behind the legend of Bruce Lee | CBC Radio". CBC. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
6. ^ "In 'Be Water', Bao Nguyen looks at the giant shadow cast by Bruce Lee". ESPN.com. May 27, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
7. ^ Goh, Yang-Yi (June 9, 2020). "How Bruce Lee Became a Global Protest Icon". GQ. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
8. ^ "Be Water". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
9. ^ Rooney, David (February 4, 2020). "'Be Water': Film Review | Sundance 2020". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 1, 2023.

* v
* t
* e

ESPN's 30 for 30

ESPN Films \- List of episodes

Volume I (2009–10)|

* The Band That Wouldn't Die
* The U
* No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson
* June 17th, 1994
* Unmatched
* Into the Wind
* Four Days in October
* Once Brothers
* Straight Outta L.A.

ESPN Films Presents
(2011–12)|

* The Fab Five

Volume II (2012–15)|

* Benji
* Elway to Marino
* I Hate Christian Laettner

Soccer Stories (2014)|

* Hillsborough

Volume III (2015–19)|

* Four Falls of Buffalo
* O.J.: Made in America
* Catholics vs. Convicts
* Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies

Volume IV (2019–present)|

* Be Water
* The Great Heisman Race of 1997
* I'm Just Here for the Riot

Related|

* Nine for IX
* SEC Storied

* v
* t
* e

Bruce Lee

* Filmography
* Awards and honors
* Media about

Films|

| As film director|

* Way of the Dragon (1972, also writer and produced)
* The Game of Death (1972, also writer)

|

As writer|

* The silent flute (1978)
* The Warrior (Lee, before created the concept for an other series and then it was finished in Warrior)

Books written|

* Chinese Gung Fu: The Philosophical Art of Self-Defense
* Tao of Jeet Kune Do
* Bruce Lee's Fighting Method
* Bruce Lee Library
* Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey (book)

Techniques|

* Jeet Kune Do
* One-inch punch
* Straight blast

Works about|

| Films|

| Hong Kong|

* Bruce Lee: The Man and the Legend (1973)
* A Dragon Story (1974)
* Bruce Lee and I (1976)
* The Dragon Lives (1976)
* The Man, The Myth (1976)
* The Real Bruce Lee (1977)
* A Warrior's Journey (2000)
* Bruce Lee, My Brother (2010)

|

United States|

* Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993)
* The Curse of the Dragon (1993)
* A Warrior's Journey (2000)
* The Story (2001)
* The Legend of Bruce Lee (video; 2008)
* I Am Bruce Lee (2012)
* Birth of the Dragon (2016)
* Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
* Be Water (2020)

Television|

* Spirit of the Dragon (1992)
* The Lost Interview (1994)
* The Legend of Bruce Lee (2008)

Books|

* The Man Only I Knew (1975)
* Bruce Lee: A Life (2019)

Comics|

* The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu (1976)

Video games|

* Bruce Lee
* Kung-Fu Master
* China Warrior
* Bruce Lee Lives
* Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
* Quest of the Dragon
* Return of the Legend

Family|

* Lee Hoi-chuen (father)
* Grace Ho (mother)
* Peter Lee (brother)
* Robert Lee (brother)
* Linda Emery Lee (wife)
* Brandon Lee (son)
* Shannon Lee (daughter)

Related|

* 41 Cumberland Road
* Bruceploitation
* Bruce Li
* Bruce Le
* Bruce Lai
* Bruce Liang
* Dragon Lee
* Kato
* Graves of Bruce and Brandon Lee
* Long Beach International Karate Championships
* Statues
* Hong Kong
* Los Angeles
* Mostar
* Betty Ting
* Chen Zhen
* Ip Man
* Warrior
* Wong Shun Leung
* Wong Jack Man

* Category

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