本片講述的是社會變革下（經濟轉型期）一個紡織女工的故事。這是一個普通人的人生：無所謂好與壞，一日三餐，兩點一線，繁瑣、寡淡、平靜，有壓抑，也有牽掛，有痛苦，也有感動；面對生老病死，自己能做的，也只能坦然接受。主人公李莉的現實處境和情感掙扎，引起當下很多普通人的共鳴——年少輕狂時，總以為幸福觸手可得，即便被迫分離，也相信“所愛隔山海，山海亦可平”。可現實沒有編劇的“精巧構思”，它就像李莉的初戀男友收不到李莉的信一樣，荒唐而又現實，你千絲萬縷的質疑，終究只能歎息作罷，然後挑點好處，安慰自己一句“我滿足了”。在李莉身上，我們看到了我們普通人共有的生活根底：到了年齡，結婚生子，生活無所謂幸不幸福，只要一日三餐，工作湊合，家庭穩定，久而久之，情感上的壓抑成為常態，無法痛快的笑，更無法痛快的哭。突逢變故時，也只能選擇接受。對比之下，這樣的壓抑在李莉的丈夫身上貫徹得尤為徹底。他始終面無表情，他喜歡什麼，愛吃什麼，沒人知道，也沒人關心。他對妻子日常的無理取鬧照單全收，甚至在毫無希望的情況下，依然為妻子湊錢治病，他的愛笨拙而曲折，明明深愛卻從不言愛，他不是不懂利弊權衡，而是乏味生活逼得他不得不隱忍。他的生活智慧是看透生死後依然選擇原諒生活、擁抱生活。最後，引用一段祈禱文結束本片的推薦，“願主賜我寧靜，接受我所不能改變的，給予我勇氣改變能改變的，並賜我智慧，分辨不同，生而為人，努力活下去吧。”
This is the story of a textile worker during a period of social and economic transformation in China. Li Li personifies common ordinary lives: growing up, getting married, having children, living a life that is neither happy nor unhappy – three meals a day, a decent job, and a stable family. Over time, emotional restrain becomes the norm; there is no free laughter or cry and the unexpected is met with acceptance. Li Li’s husband does not show any emotion. He remains expressionless throughout the movie: nobody knows what he likes – no one knows, and no one cares. He accepts his wife's daily tantrums without complaint. Even when there is no hope, he still scrapes together money to treat his wife's illness. His love is clumsy and indirect; he clearly loves deeply but never speaks of love. He is not blind to reality and truth, but life has forced him to go with the flow of events accepting and embracing them. His life is a reminder of that wish: May I be granted” the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
