60
New Times (L.A.) by Andy Klein
The texture is reminiscent of last year's "Suzhou River," but the basic material isn't as rich.
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50
The New York Times by Dana Stevens
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.
75
Christian Science Monitor by David Sterritt
Strong acting and no-nonsense filmmaking lend interest and impact to the dramatic story.
70
Xiaoshuai isn't really interested in glamorizing or even exploring the gangster lifestyle; nor is he interested in conventional dramatic arcs.
63
New York Daily News by Jack Mathews
The Stockholm syndrome, that strange psychological malady by which hostages bond emotionally with their captors, is the central theme in this intimate melodrama.
50
Village Voice by Jessica Winter
The elliptical, even fragmented editing style clashes with the reiterative voice-over, which could indicate a stylistic choice or cutting under duress.
70
The film is filled with a languid air of decadence and decay, and a touching sympathy for people whose lives are crushed in the shadows of progress.
80
Los Angeles Times by Kevin Thomas
The result is a film that is wise, fatalistic and romantic in just the right proportions--in the best noir tradition.
50
An intermittently interesting drama.