This is the first time I have watched this director's work. The only way I can comment on it is to compare it with something I'm familiar with. That said, I have to say I see a lot of Wong Kar Wai (a well known somewhat off mainstream Chinese director) in Shanghai Flowers.
I am a fan of Wong's movies in general. To many viewers, even some of Wong's masterpiece was too slow of a pace. Shanghai Flowers certainly lacks the occasional subtle high/low found in Wong's movies - no matter how slow.
A tidbit to add is that, although listed as spoken in Shanghainese (which is understood by mainly Shanghai ppl only), the dialogues in private between the lead actor (Leung) and his mistress were done in Cantonese. This intermixing of dialects and/or languages has appeared to be a trendy technique in many Chinese productions. That is to say, it is rare that a viewer (even a Chinese one) can sit through any late Chinese movie without having to read some of the subtitles.
I am a fan of Wong's movies in general. To many viewers, even some of Wong's masterpiece was too slow of a pace. Shanghai Flowers certainly lacks the occasional subtle high/low found in Wong's movies - no matter how slow.
A tidbit to add is that, although listed as spoken in Shanghainese (which is understood by mainly Shanghai ppl only), the dialogues in private between the lead actor (Leung) and his mistress were done in Cantonese. This intermixing of dialects and/or languages has appeared to be a trendy technique in many Chinese productions. That is to say, it is rare that a viewer (even a Chinese one) can sit through any late Chinese movie without having to read some of the subtitles.