Having read lots of movie reviews on Zhang Yimou's Hero lately, I can't help but noticed that a lot of the critics mentioned Christopher Doyle and Wong Kar-wai in their reviews (along with Roshamon by the late Akira Kurosawa): Christopher Doyle is in charged of the photography of both movies, and Wong Kar-wai always showcases Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung in his movies (both stars are couples in Hero). Curious, I started checking out the reviews on In the Mood For Love by Leong Kar-wai, since I really like the on-screen chemistry of Tony and Maggie, and many critics have acclaimed In The Mood For Love to be one of Wong's best movie to date. Caught up with all the rave reviews by the critics (click here), I finally decided to bought the DVD at RM 19.90.
At first, I was really not used to the director's filming technic... The movie begins with fragments and pieces of scenes with the lead characters doing seemingly trivial things, like moving into their new home, buying noodles late at night at a dark dilapidated stall, going to work and talking to their boss etc. Nothing much seemed to happen in the 1st 30 minutes, and the soundtrack Yumeji's Theme kept on repeating throughout the movie gets a bit tiresome and annoying to me after awhile...
But after the 30 minutes mark, things begin to make sense. Both lead characters are new neighbours whose spouse have an affair with each other. In the wake of their discovery, both lead characters sought comfort among one another, when gradually their feelings for each other begin to blossom. But here's the twist. Both lead characters are ppl with a high moral standard, and both vowed that they won't be like their cheating spouses. And thus as much as they both feel for one another, they both restrained themselves so much that u can almost feel the electric sparked between them whenever they meet...
I love the movie for its concept of restrained love and the "could-have-beens"... The movie is really sad and tragic, and it's wonderful to see how much emotions can be conveyed eventhough there's so much restaints from both characters. However, many ppl will have probably been turned off by the movie for it slow pacing. Also, to different people, it may seemed that nothing happen much during the entire length of the movie, or so much has happened that one can't help but feel smoldered by the loneliness and longing of the lead characters for one another. The lead characters also role-played each others cheating spouses as well, and it's really interesting (albeit slighly confusing) to watch how they "rehearse" the scenes where they confronted their own spouse of having an affair. Of cuz, both are too bottled up to do so in real life!
Another thing worth mentioning is the look of the whole movie, which really brings out the mood of being lonely and the longing to be love at a 60's Hong Kong. I'll let the gorgeous movie stills do the talking for this part. Pay attention to the colours and textures! Not to mention the elegant cheongsams!
The soundtrack is good too, although many may not like its repetitiveness. I started off getting annoyed by Yumeji's Theme, but by the end of the movie, I fell in love with it. The song brings out all the unsaid feelings of both lead characters, and Nat King Cole's songs really works in bringing about the atmosphere too. I really really like the ending, although it is definitely not ur typical romance film ending. It's almost... philosophical.
It's sad that although Wong Kar-wai is famous in the international arena, he's not very well known among Asians... The same goes for Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon by Ang Lee. I'm a big fan of the movie, and the Westerners are crazy about it... And here? Many ppl actually sez it's boring and awful... I'm really perplexed by it... That said, In The Mood For Love is the most beautiful film I've ever seen. I'm going to look for the other films by Wong Kar-wai, and also looking forward to his much-talked-about new sci-fi movie, 2046!
And guys, check out Yumeji's Theme! A lovely sad piece!
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