I found this movie to be really alienating. You can sympathize with the main character on some elements here and there (being bored in a relationship, jealousy, etc) but she goes about fulfilling her desires in such a selfish manner you really can't forgive her. Ani blames her misfortune entirely on her husband who seems to try the best to do what he can in his situation. Unfortunately for him, she doesn't know how to appreciate the little things in life and only yearns after luxury and youth. That's all fine and all - there have been plenty of movies with unsavory leads, but Zuo Tou goes about it in such a mind-numbingly slow manner. Every. Single. Bloody. Detail. Attention to detail is appreciated, but there in fact, can be too much of it. So much in fact, it sometimes seemed that Rosamund Kwan and Wallace Huo were severely overacting. Long slow glances, lips pursing, eyebrows furrowing, hands posturing - that must have constituted 80% of the entire movie. And don't get me started on the hair-washing scene at the end. It's the most ridiculous sex scene I've witnessed, even after making excuses for it being 'artsy'. The ending also seems to be in strange juxtaposition with the rest of the movie - suddenly upbeat and much brighter in contrast. The message of the movie is convoluted to me: get out of an unhappy marriage to pursue your own happiness, even if it means abandoning a child and not bothering to try to make it work? you don't need men to be happy? young men should sell themselves to older women for money? doing your hair really isn't that important? What indeed. 4/10.
