But Always

Starring Gao Yuanyuan and pop star Nicholas Tse, But Always tells the story of a romance between two childhood friends in 1970s mainland China who are later reunited in New York. The university student and hawker meet in Beijing and, after moving on with their lives, meet again in the United States Criss-crossing over various time periods, the romantic drama flimsily hinges on the events of 9/11 to elevate the arc of the plot. Traversing an expanse of geography, the erratic storytelling alienates viewers and prevents the development of a narrative focus.