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The Shadow Play

2019·Movie·129 min·6.8(58)

Tang Yijie, the Construction Committee Director, falls off from rooftop and dies in a demolition riot. Yang Jiadong, a young police officer starts his investigation and finds that Tang's death is tied up with another case several years ago. Soon he is framed and suspended from duty, but he never gives up.

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Where to watch The Shadow Play in United States

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Click a service to open The Shadow Play there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.

About The Shadow Play

The Shadow Play is a 2019 Chinese-language crime, drama and mystery film directed by Lou Ye. The cast is led by Jing Boran, Ma Sichun, Song Jia. It has a runtime of 2h 9m. Viewers rate it 6.8/10 across 100 ratings.

The Shadow Play was produced by Dream Factory and made in China. It was released on April 4, 2019.

Director
Lou Ye
Writers
Qiu Yujie, Ma Yingli, Mei Feng
Release date
April 4, 2019
Original language
Chinese
Status
Released
Country
China
Production
Dream Factory

The Shadow Play cast & crew

The Shadow Play was directed by Lou Ye and written by Qiu Yujie, Ma Yingli, and Mei Feng.

The cast features Jing Boran as Yang Jiadong, Ma Sichun as Tang Xiaonuo, Song Jia as Lin Hui, Qin Hao as Jiang Zicheng, Michelle Chen Yan-Hsi as Lian Ayun, and Zhang Songwen as Tang Yijie.

Behind the camera, the score was composed by Jonas Colstrup and it was produced by Zhang Jialu and Nai An.

Is The Shadow Play worth watching?

The Shadow Play holds an audience score of 6.8/10 from 58 ratings, a solidly received crime films.

At 2h 9m, it's a standard feature-length watch.

If you enjoy crime, drama, and mystery, The Shadow Play is worth a place on your watchlist.

How and where to watch The Shadow Play

The Shadow Play isn't currently available on major streaming services in United States. We track availability continuously — add it to your watchlist and we'll keep an eye out.

Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.

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Cast of The Shadow Play

Jing Boran

Jing Boran

Yang Jiadong

Ma Sichun

Ma Sichun

Tang Xiaonuo

Song Jia

Song Jia

Lin Hui

Qin Hao

Qin Hao

Jiang Zicheng

Michelle Chen Yan-Hsi

Michelle Chen Yan-Hsi

Lian Ayun

Zhang Songwen

Zhang Songwen

Tang Yijie

Edison Chen

Edison Chen

Alex

Wang Weishen

Wang Weishen

Wang

Chen Weirong

Chen Weirong

Mr. Yang

Cherry Ngan Cheuk-Ling

Cherry Ngan Cheuk-Ling

Bar Girl

Hu Ling

Hu Ling

Ms. Hu

Shan Baozhong

Shan Baozhong

Sun Sr

The Shadow Play — FAQs

Where can I watch The Shadow Play in United States?

The Shadow Play is not currently available on major streaming services in United States. Availability changes often — check back soon.

What language is The Shadow Play in?

The Shadow Play is originally in Chinese. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.

How long is The Shadow Play?

The Shadow Play runs 2 hours 9 minutes (129 minutes).

What is The Shadow Play rated?

It holds a 6.8/10 audience score from 58 ratings.

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