Only the River Flows

Set in a rural Chinese town during the 1990s, this crime thriller follows Ma Zhe, the head of the criminal police. After the discovery of a woman's body by a river, Ma Zhe leads an investigation into a series of murders. Although a suspect is quickly arrested and the police leadership celebrates the result, Ma Zhe remains unconvinced. He continues to investigate the case independently, exploring the hidden behaviors and secrets of the local residents.

Directed by Wei Shujun, this was his second film of 2023, following Ripples of Life and preceding Mostly Sunny. The movie features a cast of 70 credited performers, led by Zhu Yilong, Zeng Meihuizi, Hou Tianlai, Tong Linkai, Kang Chunlei, and Wang Jianyu.

Produced by companies including China Film Group Corporation and Emei Film Studio, the film had a budget of 4 million USD and earned 44 million USD at the worldwide box office. On IMDb, it holds a rating of 6.6/10 based on 4,200 votes, while on TMDB it is rated 6.4/10 from 120 votes. Film critics gave the movie a higher rating of 7.4/10 based on 41 reviews.