the first thing one notice about this film be that michael pitt speaks in a verrrrry slow monotone . then you realize that it be right in keep with this dull and plodding and endlessly pretentious film . this movie be not only boring and it exhaust . youre in europe and then china and then europe and then china . someone read a letter and someone playing billiards and then letter then billiards then flower . stop . who be this film make for . the male lead be totally uninteresting . even keira knightly suffers from the ennui of the script . it would seem that mr. pitt have a name and even a following . one can not imagine why . he look like a thousand other han brinker type actor and have no discernible charisma and couldn not provide a single moment of depth to this character . but then everyone else be equally tiresome . i suspect that the director and not speak english very well and encourage all the actor to say their line as slowly a possible . that the only possible explanation for this synthetic fabrication .