Was great to revisit this film (shot on 16mm) on 35mm at the Vancouver Intl. Film Centre. You can definitely see some of Jia's controlled mise-en-scène starting to develop with this film although for the most part, it is shot docu-style which is heightened by the presence of non-professionals.

Excellent, gritty and realistic account of a petty criminal left behind by his old pals that can adapt to new aggregational develeopments of contemporary chinese society. A bit too long, maybe, and losing its track in the last half hour, but that's just minor criticism in an overall superb film. Cinematography by genius Yu Lik-wai.

Very sweet, it has lots of scenes of people hanging around smoking and really thats all I can ask for. In one scene he's got an apple. That's fire

Didn't notice this the first time around, but just as Xiao Wu is getting lost in his romantic reverie, when he's had a bath and started to sing, it's Jia himself who busts in to remind him that he's a lowlife and all his friends hate him, sending him on his inevitable slide to ruin.

Watched the restoration virtually at NYFF.

It's fascinating to see Jia Zhangke at the start of his career. I still have a few of his films to check out, but I've mostly seen his later films only. Cool to see such a small-scaled movie from him, as his two most recent films span decades. It might be the only film of his without Zhao Tao as a lead. And as a debut, Xiao Wu has some incredibly impressive long takes, with my favorite being the scene where Meimei sings the Wang Faye to Xiao Wu.

I love the use of non-actors, and I just love the overall vibe of the film. The first thirty minutes are a bit less engaging for me, but the romance aspect of the film had me really invested. That hair salon montage with the old Chinese pop song was dope.

I thought the film was well made with regards to its intended minimalist style, by grounding the performances and undramatizing the narrative. But the hand-held camera style is something I’ve generally not been a big fan of, just gives too much of a documentary vibe. The tone is good, but the pacing uneven. The first act was very good and I thought the tension between Xiao Wu and Jin Xiaoyang more palpable and had a more interesting dynamic than that of Xiao Wu with MeiMei, which is just about when the film became too ponderous for my liking.

Gritty, deep, and unflinchingly honest, Pickpocket introduces us to Xiao Wu, a small time thief in a rural Chinese town. Through Jia Zhangke's handheld camera we become Xiao Wu's silent companion as he picks pockets, falls in love with a karaoke hostess and is shunned by his old friends, all in the midst of a government crackdown on petty criminals. Shot on location in the director's hometown, we become privy to aspects of small town Chinese life in the late 90s that are rarely, if ever, portrayed with such realism in cinema. Pickpocket is a testament to Jia Zhangke's directorial genius and remains one of his best works to date.

"This is a film about our worries and our uneasiness. Having to cope with a dysfunctional society, we take refuge in solitude which is a substitute for dignity… It is finally a film about my native town and about contemporary China." - Jia Zhangke

Jia zhangke’s eye for color composition in his barely-more-than-a-student-film debut is unreal. teal green and bright red belong together

Watch TV if you like, but think about your problems. You’re a repeat offender.

Every Jia Zhangke film (except the hand grenade that is Touch of Sin) starts off feeling like the most straight-forward exercise in neorealist portraiture, but through subtle move magic, Jia manages to transform each into a work of heartbreaking poetry. I’ve seen in later films of his how Jia’s fluency in the language of cinema allows him effortless control over the screen image, but it’s surprising to see his confident mise en scène and compositional skill so strongly developed in his first feature, a film marked by bold, lyrical choices—not least of which is the film’s overwhelming sense of alienation—that point to Jia’s future place as one of the 21st century’s greatest filmmakers.

most insufferable main character I’ve seen in a movie

Sound design so crucial.

“The old is going but where’s the new?”

Why doesn't every film look like this

La scena del karaoke è praticamente uguale a quella presente in Boiling Point di Takeshi Kitano. Il personaggio che viene riflesso su tre superfici diverse durante la performance a indicare una presenza oppressiva di schermi.

visually extremely pleasant... beautifully restored... warm and rich colours...

(reminded me of Rohmer’s style... the city is as live as people... plain is beatiful etc.)

i guess i'm just a jia zhangke stan

16 with oddmind397
#7: released the year you were born

sweet and authentic.
the docu-esque style works great through most of the film and adds of lot of grit to the story.
could be a bit tighter as the runtime is certainly felt during certain scenes but maybe my brain's just not working right anymore

Let my man pickpocket in peace!

Great story, amazing soundtrack and use of the tape decks for sound

A movie about how buoying it is to have a crush on someone, even when you're just a little heel.