With his last film released more than a decade ago, fans wondered what Wong Kar Wai would release next. The answer is this television adaptation of the 2013 novel by Jin Yucheng. It’s a surprising step for the filmmaker, considering his preference of a small cast, improvisational directing, and love for Hong Kong, but this surprise is a welcome one. Blossoms Shanghai holds the same desire and obsession Wong is known for, though on a larger scale, as Shanghai’s opening to new economic opportunities pull in a compelling cast of risk takers who can, and sometimes do, lose it all in a second. And because of how high the stakes are, the series takes a darker, noirish vibe we haven’t expected from Wong. While the introduction does get a bit clunky with the non-linear structure, Blossoms Shanghai ultimately unfolds into a beautifully-shot, captivating mystery that brings Wong’s style into newer territory.
"The early onslaught of subtitles aside, “Blossoms Shanghai” is easy to fall for. It’s sly and funny, charming and fierce, even while the series may lack the subtle grace of the artist’s finest films."
— Ben Travers
"Once you start watching it, you will be hooked."
— Peter Sobczynski
Set against the backdrop of massive economic growth in the 1990s, the story follows A Bao, a self-made millionaire and his journey from being a young opportunist with a troubled past to accumulating dazzling wealth in the city of Shanghai. It also follows his entanglement with four women who represent the pursuits of his life: adventure, honour, love and innocence.
