Lays bare the tao of contemporary China, like a doctor taking a pulse.
Comment
06/24/06
Unknown Pleasures (2003)
61 %
Reviews Counted: 28 Fresh: 17 Rotten:11 Average Rating: 6.4/10
Runtime: 1 hr 53 mins
Synopsis: China's "birth control generation" is entering their twenties during a promising period of social transition. Coupled with China's entry into the WTO, the eruption of satellite television and internet accessibility helped Beijing celebrate its successful bid for the 2008 Olympics and... [More]
Genre: Dramas
Starring: Wu Qiong, Zhao Wei Wei, Zhao Tao, Zhou Qing Feng, Wang Hong Wei
Reviews
Top CriticClick to read the article
08/05/03
Top Critic Top Critic
Jia creates some poignant images to convey key transitions in the characters' lives.
01/11/08
Top Critic
[Director Zhang-ke] Jia's virtuoso long takes, choreographed mise en scene, and feeling for character and behavior place him in a class by himself.
01/11/08
The plot meanders as aimlessly as the characters, with the trio getting in and out of minor scrapes, brushing themselves off, and moving on to the next one.
09/16/05
In its effort to evoke pity, Unknown Pleasures chiefly evokes agitation and frustration.
05/01/03
despite the distinct lack of good times and belly laughs, Unknown Pleasures is a great film.
04/11/03
Despite the fact that there's little dramatic arc, little dialogue and little joy in the lives of its characters, Unknown Pleasures is riveting.
04/07/03
[Music] has the ability to connect with everyone, and perhaps international audiences will connect with the Chinese youth of Unknown Pleasures for the exact same reason.
04/04/03
Hard to turn away from, but also damn hard to sit through ... there is a difference between inspiring a sense of alienation in one’s audience, and merely alienating them
04/04/03
This sequel to Jia's excellent 1997 drama Xiao Wu is less original and absorbing than its predecessor, and less visually impressive than Platform.
04/03/03
While there are some beautifully shot, subtle moments in the film that encapsulate the desperation and degradation of the characters, the director ends up alienating his audience in an attempt to display the alienation of his characters.
03/31/03
The actors in Unknown Pleasures generate sympathy from their sullen good looks as much as any acting ability.
03/29/03
An occasionally fascinating but ultimately undercooked portrait of the young and disaffected.
03/27/03
There's a telling disjunction between the dismal lives of Jia's characters and the optimism of China's officially sunny advance into the 21st century.
03/26/03
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