Ping Guo (Lost in Beijing) poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Tony Leung Ka Fai, Fan Bingbing, Dawei Tong, Elaine Jin, Zeng Meihuizi ... see more see more... , Bingbing Fan , Li Fang , Zhenjiang Bao

Mainland writer/director Li Yu teams with producer and screenwriter Fang Li for this tale of money and love in the Chinese capitol. Lin Dong (Tony Leung Kar-fai) is a resourceful entrepreneur from the... read more read more... southern province of Guangdong who has risen through the ranks to become the manager of the highly profitable Golden Basin Foot Massage Parlor. The popular parlor is staffed by a group of attractive young girls that includes Liu Pingguo (Fan Bingbing) and Xiaomei (Zeng Meihuizi), two Guangdong natives who are also looking for a better life in the big city. One night, after some heavy drinking, Dong takes Pingguo up to his lavish apartment and awkwardly forces himself on the girl as her window-cleaner husband, Kun (Tong Dawei), watches in shock from his harness outside. Later, when Pingguo discovers that she is pregnant, Dong, his infertile wife, Wang Mei (Elaine Jin), Kun, and the mother-to-be all sit down together to sign contracts that will allow Dong to adopt the child in exchange for a healthy chunk of change. The airtight agreement slowly begins to unravel, however, when the child is born and biological mother Pingguo realizes that giving up her child simply isn't an option. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Flixster Users

62% liked it

1,599 ratings

Critics

52% liked it

23 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 52 min.

Directed by: Yu Li

Release Date: January 25, 2008

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: April 22, 2008

Stats: 144 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

white cami Ping Guo (Lost in Beijing)
Upload a Photo | View All Ping Guo (Lost in Beijing) Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (144)

  • fb1144932598
    May 13, 2010
    fb1144932598
    A study in contrasts that plays out in the modern city of Beijing. Two disparate couples are joined together in an intricate ballet of deception, betrayal, blackmail, and sexual tension. The contrast is between a rich, childless couple and a poor, working class couple. It contras... read morets the victim with his or her oppressor and the deceived against the deceiver. Each of these four tortured souls are involved in a gamble wherein they could lose everything and one is never sure who is winning, or indeed, if there are any winners at all. Interesting camera work maintains the dynamic tensions. There are long shots of Beijing and the mass of humanity, and long interior shots in which little is said or done, but in which violent emotions are on display. The cast is excellent, and the story maintains its narrow focus on these four characters almost without blinking. Only one small side story breaks the string, and it only adds poignancy.
  • gator681
    February 22, 2009
    gator681
    [font=Century Gothic]In "Lost in Beijing," Liu Pingguo(Bingbing Fan) works in a foot massage parlor where her friend Xiao Mei(Meihuizi Zeng) is fired for an altercation with a client despite quite possibly being in the right. So, the two friends get drunk. And that is when Lin ... read moreDong(Tony Leung Ka Fai), their boss, rapes Liu Pingguo which is observed by her husband An Kun(Dawei Tong) who is conveniently outside working as a window washer. Instead of reporting him to the police, he attempts to extort money but does gain a measure of revenge by having sex with Wang Mei(Elaine Jin), Lin Dong's wife, who cannot have children. On the other hand, Liu Pingguo is now pregnant.[/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]"Lost in Beijing" has some great shots of Beijing but the handheld camerawork gets a little tiresome. Overall, the movie is a pointed and disturbing critique of capitalism in China and how it corrupts all who come into contact with it. Start with the foot massage parlor(I'm going to have to reconsider my previous thoughts about the worst job) where the women have to put up with all sorts of molestation by the customers. And the boss who is the prime example of capitalism is worse. But what is shocking is that Liu Pingguo still wants to work there after she is raped. Are there no other alternatives?[/font]
  • threefolddado
    June 11, 2010
    threefolddado
    After two graphic sexual encounters, the film settles into a interesting character piece, well directed and excellently acted. My problem was most of the characters were unlikable (although there were great lengths to show them as well rounded people with both good and bad withi... read moren), and even Bingbing Fan's character (the most likable) was a bit of a doormat. Still an interesting perspective of Chinese culture (that was banned in China).
  • alanjayh
    February 24, 2010
    alanjayh
    Excellent drama about a silce of life in modern day Beijing..excellent acting especaily by Tony Leung Ka Fai and Bingbing. All four central characters put forth a strong effort and the story does not disappoint. Moving, touching at times and does hold your interest. The story ... read moreand the drama together is quite realistic and at times you wont feel as though you are watching a movie. See this!
  • vicpf51
    August 20, 2009
    vicpf51
    A piece of TRASH. No wonder the Chinese government banned this crap. They were embarrassed. I've always loved Mainland China films but not this. Unlikable characters, horrible camera work, and bad acting. Don't waste your time, watch Raise the Red Lantern or anything with Go... read moreng Li...
  • kingmob6
    June 15, 2009
    kingmob6
    A window washer happens to see his wife's boss in the act of raping her, setting in motion a series of altercations and blackmail demands that manage to morph into a strange business arrangement once the wife finds out that she's pregnant, presumably with the attacker's child.

    N... read moreice roving camera-work gives this a large sense of scale and an art-house vibe, but the story meanders along perhaps 30 minutes longer than it really needs to, as the characters draw further away from one another, I started to care less and less about what happened to them. Some judicious editing would serve this film well.

    Possibly worth a look if you're into slow plodding melodrama, otherwise you may be able to pass this one by.
  • ac2010fz
    August 31, 2008
    ac2010fz
    People go to Beijing for their careers, to pursue their dreams, to have a better life, but they all were lost and although some of the worked hard to achieve some goals, none of them are truely happy. Like its Chinese title, Ping Guo, the film is revolved around her, everything s... read moretarted because of her but everyone became so selfish and busy having greedy thoughts but forgot who's the victim. Perfect ending.

View All Ping Guo (Lost in Beijing) Reviews

Critic Reviews

G. Allen Johnson
April 18, 2008
G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle

Begins with a wild coincidence and goes rapidly downhill from there, becoming one of the most unintentionally hilarious tragedies in quite some time. Full Review

Kevin Thomas
April 18, 2008
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

The film benefits from solid performances by its four stars, but it is overly didactic and drawn-out as its comic tone grows darker and darker. Full Review

A.O. Scott
April 14, 2008
A.O. Scott, New York Times

Though the film's emotional tone is blurry -- toward the end it swerves away from farce and back toward anguish - its social criticism could hardly be more clear.

V.A. Musetto
January 25, 2008
V.A. Musetto, New York Post

The sex is sufficient (if you care), the acting is good, and the shots of Beijing's streets and highways are interesting. But the story is contrived. Full Review

Jack Mathews
January 25, 2008
Jack Mathews, New York Daily News

When a rapist (Tony Leung) is the second-most sympathetic character in a story about greed, duplicity and adultery among four people, it needs a more forgiving audience than me. Full Review

John Anderson
January 24, 2008
John Anderson, Newsday

It's a funny film, a parable of sorts, and a character-driven take on what's ticking in China. Full Review

Derek Elley
January 22, 2008
Derek Elley, Variety

An involving, highly accessible portrait of an emotional menage a quatre in the modern-day Chinese capital. Full Review

Ray Bennett
January 22, 2008
Ray Bennett, Hollywood Reporter

Lost in Beijing might have the Chinese censors trying to wield their scissors, but Li Yu's muddled sex drama is unlikely to cause an uproar, or make much of a stir, anywhere else.

Nick Pinkerton
January 22, 2008
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice

The prevalent shooting style is monotonous naturalism, as the camera buzzes between contentious actors and trolls after anything on the move. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
July 6, 2009
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

A monotonous sordid melodrama. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Hong Yan (Dam Street)
    Hong Yan (Dam Street) (100%)
  • Yihe yuan (Summer Palace)
    Yihe yuan (Summer Palace) (100%)

More Movies like Ping Guo (Lost in Beijing)

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Ping Guo (Lost in... : Watch Free on TV

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for Ping Guo (Lost in Beijing). Want to create one?

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add Ping Guo (Lost in Beijing) to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?