Reminiscent of a hybrid of Italian film styles from the 1950s -- mixing the neo-realism that still prevailed at the start of the decade with the pondering meditations Antonioni was delivering at the end of the decade -- Unknown Pleasures manages to portray a slice of Chinese life in the new millennium.
On the one hand we have an amateur cast caught on video tape in real locations, with very few fantastical events -- even the thugs are too lowly and unromatic to break the "realism" spell. On the other hand, we have long tracking shots of characters riding motorcycles, or long stationary shots of characters watching TV, that provide time and space for the viewer to absorb the milieu and all of its implications.
What don't we have? Some will be disappointed by story arcs that don't really end up anywhere in particular. Motivations are not always spelled out, though it's fair to say they can be inferred. And while it was shot on video for obvious reasons, one can't help but yearn for a bit more clarity to the image -- something a slightly larger budget (for better video gear?) could have enabled.
Recommended? Yes, but with mild reservations -- unless what you want is a slice of mainland life, in which case it's the best available.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0318025/
