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Suzhou River Reviews

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from 992 members

With SUZHOU RIVER, director Lou Ye has created an intense, jerky visual and narrative style that captivates viewers and pulls them into the mystery of the film's dreamy, alluring tale of love and mistaken identities. The narrator--the voice behind the camera (literally) who occasionally sticks his hand out in front of the lens .. Read more

Starring	Zhou Xun, Jia Hongshen, Nai An
Director	Lou Ye
Genres	Drama, World Cinema

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Critic's review of Suzhou River
View all critics' reviews (5)
- "...Classily played and poetic, in its imagery of back-alley Shanghai and daring story-telling, SHUZHOU RIVER is a fine testimony to the vigour of China's younger generation of filmmakers..."
- 12096
- - Total Film
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59
Write your own review »
Most helpful member's review of Suzhou River
View all members' reviews (18)
- - 7
  - 3
  Unusual and very compelling
  
  Suzhou River is filmed from the point of view of a video photographer who makes a living filming parties, weddings etc for paying customers. Hence the whole ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 191372
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Jamie
  - North Yorkshire
  - 09 Jan 2006 at 00:08
Most recent members' reviews of Suzhou River
View all members' reviews (18)
- - 0
  - 0
  desolation angels
  
  Two parallel love stories unfold as seen through the eye of video camera held by their narrator. Urban landscape contains its polemic about life and death ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1023136
- - juradino
  - 627 reviews
  - London
  - 29 Jul 2011 at 20:06
- - 0
  - 3
  S river
  
  Really Slow. I was bored and didn't watch to the end. Plot seems to be, boy meets girl, they quarrel, later he meets her (or does he)..well i couldn't ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 735164
- - Lesley
  - 37 reviews
  - London
  - 30 Mar 2009 at 20:45
- - 0
  - 1
  Better than "Vertigo"
  
  Although this film covers a lot of the same ground as Hitchcock's 'Vertigo', it's a superior picture: tighter, simpler, more emotionally true... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 718018
- - a customer
  - London
  - 01 Mar 2009 at 12:57
- - 0
  - 0
  Urban myth
  
  This is Vertigo reset in Shanghai complete with urban mermaids and buffalo grass vodka. A film that succeeds in mixing urban alienation and mystical love story ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 690579
- - a customer
  - Bath
  - 18 Jan 2009 at 22:42
- - 0
  - 0
  Trying too hard
  
  I felt it was a Chinese film trying to impersonate a French one.
  
  Report this review
- 667383
- - a customer
  - London
  - 02 Dec 2008 at 09:47
- - 0
  - 0
  challenging film
  
  ...and not necessarily in a good way. Jumpy camera work and a surreal story made it all a bit unengaging... and some appalling performances, especially from &#... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 628977
- - a customer
  - Lewis
  - 14 Sep 2008 at 13:39
- - 0
  - 0
  Nice film
  
  It's worth to watch it. Nice story and nice plays
  
  Report this review
- 563540
- - a customer
  - Edinburgh
  - 08 May 2008 at 18:34
- - 0
  - 0
  long live love
  
  Cool compassionate caring - a tale that rhymes events into a seemingly endless spell. Has the kind of sensitive reflective monologue that makes Wong Kar Wai'... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 465966
- - Faye West
  - Golders Green, London
  - 15 Aug 2007 at 00:19
- - 1
  - 0
  Urban Fairytale - Chinese style
  
  Ye Lou has created a diverting tale from very unpromising materials. This is not the Shanghai of the bright shiny new Pudong nor the grand imperial Bund. Unlike... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 462909
- - a customer
  - North Cornelly, South Wales
  - 01 Aug 2007 at 23:07
- - 0
  - 0
  A dark side of love?
  
  Interesting, quirky film depicting a dark-sided love affair set around the Shanghai river.
  
  A central feature is the cold, detached commentary of the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 445505
- - syfy
  - London
  - 31 May 2007 at 19:15
View all members' reviews (18)

- - 7
  - 3
  Unusual and very compelling
  
  Suzhou River is filmed from the point of view of a video photographer who makes a living filming parties, weddings etc for paying customers. Hence the whole ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 191372
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Jamie
  - North Yorkshire
  - 09 Jan 2006 at 00:08
- - 4
  - 0
  Slow but worthwhile
  
  A film that's taken from a cinematographer's point of view is always going to have a slanted view on reality and narrative, which is exactly the puzzle ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 17297
- - a customer
  - Coventry, UK
  - 06 Sep 2004 at 21:12
- - 4
  - 0
  Don?t be put off by ...
  
  Don?t be put off by the jerky hand-held camera. Your initial irritation will be forgotten as you are drawn into this mystical, almost dream-like love story. The... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 48798
- - Bobnessuk
  - 169 reviews
  - LONDON
  - 05 Oct 2004 at 18:47
- - 4
  - 0
  Suzhou River
  
  If watched right through and you focus on whats happening, this film is a really complex love story with a twist which makes it different. At first it looked ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 94474
- - a customer
  - Yorkshire UK
  - 20 Apr 2005 at 00:08
- - 1
  - 0
  One for World Cinema Buffs
  
  WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
  
  A very simple story, but told in an inventive manner. This quiet, gentle film, sucks you in without you realising it... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 136417
- - Kren
  - Scotland
  - 15 Jul 2004 at 10:34
- - 1
  - 0
  Urban Fairytale - Chinese style
  
  Ye Lou has created a diverting tale from very unpromising materials. This is not the Shanghai of the bright shiny new Pudong nor the grand imperial Bund. Unlike... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 462909
- - a customer
  - North Cornelly, South Wales
  - 01 Aug 2007 at 23:07
- - 0
  - 0
  Romantic & Artistic
  
  This story of romance has a bitter sweet ending. The film is shot artistically and is well worth watching if you like the modern Chinese genere.
  
  Report this review
- 172661
- - a customer
  - Bedofrd, UK
  - 11 Nov 2005 at 08:37
- - 0
  - 0
  For a truly unusual story
  
  For a very Chinese story, set in a very Chinese city, try this interesting, beautifully filmed contemporary take on a fairy tale.
  
  Report this review
- 386138
- - a customer
  - London
  - 18 Nov 2006 at 01:34
- - 0
  - 0
  A dark side of love?
  
  Interesting, quirky film depicting a dark-sided love affair set around the Shanghai river.
  
  A central feature is the cold, detached commentary of the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 445505
- - syfy
  - London
  - 31 May 2007 at 19:15
- - 0
  - 0
  long live love
  
  Cool compassionate caring - a tale that rhymes events into a seemingly endless spell. Has the kind of sensitive reflective monologue that makes Wong Kar Wai'... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 465966
- - Faye West
  - Golders Green, London
  - 15 Aug 2007 at 00:19

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Critics' reviews
- "...Classily played and poetic, in its imagery of back-alley Shanghai and daring story-telling, SHUZHOU RIVER is a fine testimony to the vigour of China's younger generation of filmmakers..."
- 12096
- - Total Film
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59
- Hitchcock's Vertigo has been shanghai'd and transformed into a delicate tale of double identity, love and loss.
- 33008
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:43
- In the absence of Lou's previous features Weekend Lover and Don't Be Young, this serves to introduce one of the... read more on Time Out
- 46289
- - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:16
- "...A seductive and atmospheric conundrum that works pleasingly as an exercise in storytelling..."
- 12095
- - Sight and Sound
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59
- "...[Zhou Xun is] stunning....SUZHOU RIVER offers [a] captivating atmosphere..."
- 12094
- - New York Times
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59

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Buy from Amazon.co.uk

- - Buy
- Suzhou River
  
  With SUZHOU RIVER, director Lou Ye has created an intense, jerky visual and narrative style that captivates viewers and pulls them into the mystery of the film's dreamy, alluring tale of love and mistaken identities. The narrator--the voice behind the camera (literally) who occasionally sticks his ...