Synopsis
 Niuniu, a wealthy middle aged woman living in Beijing, discovers that her husband is having an affair after coming upon a romantic e-mail. She only knows that it is one of her close friends but does not know which one. Determined to discover the truth, she invites her friends over to her lavish home. There the four women share stories of their sexual past over food and mahjong. Niuniu, however, still has her plan to execute...
 
 Program Note
 Niuniu is a wealthy middle-aged woman living in Beijing. One day, she sees her husband’s email and realizes he is having an affair with one of her friends. Determined to find out who it is, Niuniu invites her friends over for the Chinese New Year. Qinqin, an actress rumored to have slept with half the men in Beijing, Madam Ye, who gives Niuniu advice on investment, and Lala, her husband’s college classmate and a successful artist. Niuniu suggests that the person who loses at mahjong talk frankly about their love life so that she can find her husband’s lover.
 The women sympathize deeply with each other’s stories and seem to be opening up as time passes, but tides turn again and again, making it more and more difficult to know their real feelings and desires. The elements of a thriller, such as secretive dishes, an old woman who seems to know everything, someone looking through the window, and dramatized sound all contribute to maximizing the subtle underlying tug-of-war among the four women. The traditional Chinese New Year, memories and songs about the communist party, outside perceptions of China, and the urban image of Beijing amidst change since China opened up only make their identities as Chinese and as women more confusing. The director pushes the boundaries of the secret desires and the loneliness within of the four women to their extremes and keeps the viewer on edge right to the end of the film. (BAE Ju-yeon)