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The Wasted Times

The Wasted Times

Drama · Mystery · Crime · 2016

Shanghai gangsters grapple with lust and loyalty on the eve of war with Japan as they try to navigate an alliance with the enemy's army.

Movie details

The Wasted Times

2016 Drama · Mystery · Crime 2h 3m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.8 / 10

Community rating

Shanghai gangsters grapple with lust and loyalty on the eve of war with Japan as they try to navigate an alliance with the enemy's army.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Wasted Times?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Cheng Er

Written by

Cheng Er

Ge You

Ge You

Mr. Lu

Zhang Ziyi

Zhang Ziyi

Xiao Liu

Tadanobu Asano

Tadanobu Asano

Watabe

Du Chun

Du Chun

Killer

Gillian Chung

Gillian Chung

Xiao Wu

Zhao Baogang

Zhao Baogang

Northern Guest

Ni Dahong

Ni Dahong

Mr. Wang

Court is in session

Put The Wasted Times on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.