Rent Unknown Pleasures (2002)

Gritty, real but ultimately boring. - Unknown Pleasures review by CP Customer

Unknown Pleasures focuses on the lives of two 19 year olds, Bin Bin and Xiao Ji. The two friends are considered as part of China's new generation; they drink Coca-Cola, chain smoke cigarettes, covet U.S. dollars, watch Hollywood movies, and dance to Western style music at the local club. As the films progresses the two contrasting sides of modern China are shown, the promise of the 2008 Olympics, new super highways and a stable economy are compared with the reality for most Chinese, few opportunities, unemployment and a general degradation of moral values. Overall, while there is some artistic and moral merit to this film, ultimately it's pretty dull viewing. Neither the characters nor story go anywhere, and even as a slow paced snapshot in the lives of two disaffected teens its painfully hard work to watch. And even as someone who watches a lot of Asian cinema 'Unknown Pleasures' was enough to put me off renting disk 2: 'Xiao Wu'. If you want to see a Chinese film with the same gritty feel but with more of a story try the excellent 'Not One Less' or 'Blind Shaft'.