The film opened in Chinese cities in late February 2006 to some controversy due to its depiction of assertive, sexually confident women.

[1] Given its content, Perpetual Motion is often referred to as a Chinese version of the American television series Sex and the City.

[1] Niuniu, a wealthy middle aged woman living in Beijing, discovers that her husband is having an affair after coming upon a romantic e-mail.

Determined to discover the truth, she invites her friends Qinqin, a ditsy actress, Lala, a successful artist, and Madam Ye, a property developer over to her lavish siheyuan home.

[2] Other reviewers noted that "Some of the talk is intriguing, but only some,"[3] while another felt that "with the action confined to one room, the film is too much like a play, and, rather dull in execution, it lacks the atmosphere it needs to capitalise on its premise.