What? This film seems to want to be great, but it is one of the most painful 1hr 45minutes I think I've spent. Tedious really doesn't cover it. Ridiculously elongated pauses and repetition does not make it 'arty' or 'meaningful' just boring and annoying.

If there's one thing Jia is good at it's describing his characters through their environment. The disaffected youths who are the center of the film's narrative have little in the way of character traits or story arcs, but are imbued with a directionless alienation via the attention Jia gives to the world around them. Thus, the slow pace of the film is necessary --a tool to immerse the audience in this world.

Zhang Ke Jia is a filmmaker to keep an eye on. Stripped-down and bare in its naturalism, but captivating all the same.

Petered out a bit in the 3rd act, too bad, but still a great film.

For what it is, it kind of beats you over the head with what it's trying to say, but it's not a bad film; the final two minutes make it all worth while.

A contrast to perception of China as the new economic super-power. Jia focuses here on the youth that go astray despite China's growing economy. Reminiscent of films like Mean Streets or Boys n' the Hood (not as violent).

"Unknown Pleasures, Jia Zhangke's haunting follow-up to Platform, tracks various stages of underdevelopment." - Ed Gonzalez

One of Jia's greatest strengths--his ability to draw upon his character's surroundings to offer insight into their psyches--is on display in full force here. Rubble and barren fields of rock contrast strongly with new construction and the busy streets of the city. The characters wander through all of these landscapes, striving for something but being turned back time and again. The last few minutes are beautifully bleak, while Jia's mise en scene and tight framing are consistently excellent.

This is a bleak film filled with affectless characters whose small ambitions are frustrated at every turn. The film's cramped visual style is initially frustrating, but as the story unfolds it becomes a poignant reminder of the narrow set of choices available to these characters. Watching this was not a joyful experience, but its hopelessness is emotionally stirring, and I'm grateful for for the inspiration and thoughtfulness of these sorrows.

Bleak and dismally boring. Jia Zhangke doesn't seem to care about getting us to sympathize with his characters, and from their permanently smug expressions, you would think that they don't either.

Bleak and sometimes insufferably boring. Unknown Pleasures is a window into how it feels to be young and 20ish in the China of today. Not that good, apparently.