Slightly less melodramatic as Edward Yang, but not nearly as artful as Jia Zhang-ke, Tsai Ming-liang or Hou Hsiao-hsien. This film has a trying plot, and at times seems like it may never end. It’s not bad, I guess. But this will probably be the last film I see from this director unless a very strong wind convinces me otherwise.

Note: the crazy kid is a little bit like that little brother character in Wong Kar-wai’s As Tears Go By. Also, this film probably should have been Korean. Although the setting/story was obviously Beijing, the sensibility was as much Korean.