
Watches
August 22, 2007
May 13, 2022
Yimou Zhang's rather subdued crime drama. I really liked this film when I first watched it, I think I've seen this done better since. It's certainly not a bad one, with proper intrigue and sporting a very nice setting, but somehow it lacks Zhang's visual flourish, which left me a little disappointed.
Shuisheng is a young boy who is brought to Shanghai by his uncle. He works for Tang, an important gang boss. Shuisheng is given to Tang's mistress, who he needs to tend to. From the shadows, Shuisheng observes the lives of the wealthy, but he'll soon find out that this lifestyle comes with its own perils.
Gong Li is strong, as is the rest of the cast. I liked the inclusion of more prominent genre elements, and the mix of drama and crime works very well. I just remembered a more visually elaborate film. Maybe it was the restoration work that took away from the colors, but I was a little underwhelmed. A very good film, just not a personal favorite anymore.
More by the director
Yimou Zhang

Hero

Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles

Shadow

House of Flying Daggers

The Flowers of War

A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop

Curse of the Golden Flower

Happy Times

Ju Dou: Secret Love, Hidden Faces

Keep Cool

One Second

Raise the Red Lantern

The Love of the Hawthorn Tree

The Road Home

To Live

Chacun Son Cinéma

Cliff Walkers

Not One Less

Red Sorghum

The Great Wall

The Story of Qiu Ju

Coming Home

Snipers

Codename Cougar
