Caught by the Tides is a curious film that can be tough to deconstruct. When writer/director Jia Zhangke is assembling bits from his other works, the result can feel like a jumble. He either never had in mind a plan to create this latest movie, or he just wanted to play around. Even I had to check where the footage came from. The movies he pulled from are Unknown Pleasures, Still Life, and Ash is Purest White. I’ve only seen one, but the rest were a mystery.
I suspect the idea for this film comes from the idea that whatever random pieces of celluloid film are from the cutting room floor, he can collect into a tale. The film partially captivated me at times, but, like the receding tide, my interest waned. At least I can appreciate the moment where the protagonists are dancing to Butterfly on Dance Dance Revolution.