R E V I E W :   In the Mood for Love

Reviewed 12/14/00 | Background | Movie Review | DVD Review | Recommendation

Background 

Mei Ah / 2000 / 98 minutes
Directed by Wong Kar-Wai
Written by Wong Kar-Wai

Wong Kar-Wai has carved out a distinctive niche for himself in world cinema. His films (including Ashes of Time, Chungking Express, and Fallen Angels) have won critical acclaim. His last critically-applauded film, Happy Together, was released in 1997, and since then his newest effort has been eagerly anticipated.

The film was a success at the Cannes Film Festival in May and was well-received during its theatrical run in Hong Kong. It is slated for a February 2001 theatrical release in the United States.

Movie: plot, performances, production, rating

It's safe to say that Wong Kar-Wai has created an alternate universe for Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung to inhabit. They play next-door neighbors who slowly discover that their spouses are having an affair. He is a newspaperman and she is a secretary; they interact with one work colleague each and maintain civil relations with the other neighbors, but otherwise have no apparent friendships or relatives. Naturally they are drawn to each other. The remainder of the film deals with how their relationship slowly develops.

The film moves quietly, which is appropriate considering the characters' uncertainty as they come to grips with the disintegration of their marriages. The performances by Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung are subtle and moving; most of their feelings and changing moods are conveyed by their eyes, no easy feat.

After one viewing, though, I am not convinced that Tony and Maggie's love deserves the stature of tragedy, which is how Wong Kar-Wai seems to treat it. Especially in the early parts of the film, the pacing and camerawork are sublime and effective.

On the other hand, the circumstances which conspire against them are internalized to such an extreme degree that it's difficult to accept. In other words, the audience must assume that outside forces are exerting pressure upon them to conform to the mores of the time - but these outside forces are never depicted (the neighbors seem like stereotypes from another movie) and it's difficult to see how the two main characters conform in other aspects of their lives because they are both so incredibly polite -- or is a reticent attitude endemic to that place, time, and people?

The cinematography, credited to Christopher Doyle and Mark Li, is splendid but muted, as though everything were photographed through a filter. The art direction beautifully renders the period of the film without resorting to kitsch. The use of music, including several songs by Nat King Cole (in Spanish) is superb.

The film is rated as Category I. No bloodshed, obscenities, nudity (or even kissing) can be observed.

DVD: look, sound, subtitles, and features

As noted above, the colors are muted, and my assumption is that this is a reflection of an intentional choice by the filmmakers. With that assumption made, the DVD's letterboxed image quality is good. The source print reveals no distracting imperfections.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is rich and full, especially noticeable when a song is playing. Both Dolby 5.1 and 2.0 audio tracks are provided in both Cantonese and Mandarin. Removable white subtitles, easy to read but with a number of mistakes, are provided in traditional and simplified Chinese as well as English.

There are just 9 chapter markings and no time coding is provided. The only "features" supplied are a brief synopsis and cast and crew listing.

Buy, rent, or pass?

An evocative film that probably requires more than one viewing. Definitely worth seeing, so I rate this as a rental for now, and perhaps a buy for fans of Wong Kar-Wai.

 

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