Although there are some familiar ideas here, Guidance is a unique film that will not only make you think, but curious about the technology that awaits us in the near future. It explores how we can use technology that is actually being developed to help humans more easily be 'encouraged' to live by virtues such as in this case truthfulness, which is an interesting unique concept for a film to begin with
We always want to know if there is a way to 'cheat' to allow us to become better. The interesting question this film asks is 'would it work'? Once someone could tell you were lying, you would probably feel obliged to acquire the same ability to level the playing field.
What is even more interesting is that this is a Chinese film from a Canadian director. As someone who has lived in China long enough to experience how white lies are a very pervasive and acceptable part of the culture, it poses an even more interesting question to an audience that may be most intrigued by this idea.
However, when you ignore the language of the film, it could really be set anywhere and it still provides thought provoking ideas.
That being said, this is after all a 'relationship drama' set in the future, so if your curious about the idea of acquiring virtue by turning your body into a quantum computer aka 'NIS' and running an app called 'Guidance' to give you an advantage in negotiations / relationships you may be let down by the fact that this is a film about conflicted characters in flawed relationships. But maybe even if that is not really your thing you will appreciate the film for its unique scenery of China, a glimpse into a possible near future, and an unpredictable ending that is sure to catch most off guard.