A snapshot of Shanghai in the 1930s, seen through the eyes of a naive young bumpkin. This one passed the censors intact, despite its obvious political connotations: the aging, paranoid gangster clique; the jaded yet tragic beauty; and the restless youth, already corrupted by ambition. The themes of fatalism and national self-loathing are familiar, although expressed with finesse. Certainly, the cinematography is superb, and there are many convincing performances - Zhang's most accessible film so far.

[Reviewed by Iain Sinclair]