Biandan, guniang

The result is a film that is wise, fatalistic and romantic in just the right proportions--in the best noir tradition.

Strong acting and no-nonsense filmmaking lend interest and impact to the dramatic story.

Xiaoshuai isn't really interested in glamorizing or even exploring the gangster lifestyle; nor is he interested in conventional dramatic arcs.

The Stockholm syndrome, that strange psychological malady by which hostages bond emotionally with their captors, is the central theme in this intimate melodrama.

The texture is reminiscent of last year's "Suzhou River," but the basic material isn't as rich.

The elliptical, even fragmented editing style clashes with the reiterative voice-over, which could indicate a stylistic choice or cutting under duress.

Like Lou Ye's "Suzhou River," a Hitchcock homage similarly set in Shanghai's demimonde, So Close to Paradise offers an intriguing and sometimes self-canceling mixture of emotion and style.