| Director | Jia Zhangke |
|---|---|
| Genre | drama film |
| Runtime | 108 min |
| Country | People's Republic of China |
| Budget | $50,000 |
In the small provincial town of Fenyang in 1997, Xiao Wu roams the streets as a pickpocket amid a major anti-crime campaign. Most of his associates have moved on to become legitimate or semi-legitimate. A former partner and close friend, Xiaoyong, who has established himself as a successful entrepreneur trafficking in wholesale cigarettes and operating karaoke bars, chooses not to invite Xiao Wu to his wedding in an attempt to distance himself from his criminal past.
Xiao Wu drifts around, discontent with life yet unable to change. He courts a bargirl, Meimei, who takes a liking to him and asks him to buy a pager so that they can stay in touch. As the two grow closer, Xiao Wu buys a ring for Meimei, only to later find out that she has run off with someone wealthier. He then goes back to his poor peasant family and gives the ring to his mother, but when his future sister-in-law visits, he realizes that the ring has in turn been gifted to her. After a heated argument, Xiao Wu's father expels him from the family home, and he promises to never return.
Xiao Wu is finally caught during a pickpocket attempt when his pager sounds off and gives him away. At the police station, the friendly police chief uncuffs him and allows him to watch the news, which reports his arrest and features interviews where a former associate condemns him. The next day, while being transported, he is briefly left handcuffed to the side of the road, as a crowd congregates and watches him with disapproval and mockery.