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A Touch of Sin

Name: A Touch of Sin
Genre: Crime, Drama
Released: 2013-10-04
Cast: Jiang Wu, Wang Baoqiang, Zhao Tao, Li Meng, Zhang Jiayi

2013 | 131 min | Crime, Drama

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (94% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had a box office loss and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for crime-drama fans. If you loved Bronson, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood: Dark and gritty.
The pace: Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 11 min.
What might put you off: It's in Chinese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

Four people in different provinces are driven to violent ends: An angry miner is enraged by corruption in his village. A migrant discovers the possibilities of owning a firearm. A receptionist is pushed beyond her limits by an abusive client. A young factory worker goes from one job to the next.

How it earned its rating

CriticsVery strong
94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 75 on Metacritic
AudiencesSolid
7.2 out of 10
AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
Box office & staying powerBelow par
$154K worldwide on a $4 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 33K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Jia Zhangke

Jiang WuDahai
Wang BaoqiangZhou San
Zhao TaoXiao Yu
Li MengLianrong
Zhang JiayiZhang Youliang
Luo LanshanXiao Hui
Wang HongweiSauna Guest
Liu Lu
Wang Qiang
Han Sanming