User Reviews

In the Mood for Love (2000)

Kar-Wai Wong has indeed created a masterpiece here. Not only created it but orchestrated it. I cannot think of a more accurate word to describe what he did here. "In the Mood for Love" should be included in the definition for mise-en-scène. I suspect that everything was deliberate. Every angle, every camera movement, every color choice, every glance, every song, every word.

It was a slow film, yes. But for once, it does not feel that way. It feels that it had to be exactly the pace it was. Prepare to be charmed, intoxicated, mesmerized, transported. I have to be honest, I have not seen this for the longest time because I was convinced that it was another art film that was completely overrated. This time, it was warranted.

The camera work. The movement. We peek around edges, we peer through holes, we pan across hallways, we zoom into apartments. We are able to see into the neighboring apartments, as each of them sits, lonely. As we pan back and forth, a wall reminds us. Almost the entire time, the photographer in me was admiring what great angles these were and imagining myself taking them; making a move to take a still every few minutes.

The music. The only other film I remember that uses one song so stylistically is Garci's "Volver a empezar" from 1982- which in my opinion was overused and became annoying at some point in the film. Here, it is Yumeji's Theme. In contrast, Wong mixes it up on the score and we do not tire of the theme. Instead, it signals yet another emotionally intense scene filled with longing, waiting, loving, wishing. This is the power this film has. To elicit so many emotions with a few minutes, a handful of glances, one song.

The costumes. Most notably, Mrs. Chan's dresses. Ever changing, ever gorgeous.

The set design. Oh, the lush and saturated colors. If one can call colors yummy, now is the time. We are almost exclusively indoors. It seems that every time we are outside, it is raining. The lovers run to get out of the rain, they wait for the rain to pause, they talk in the rain. Alas, no kissing in the rain.

My complaints? I wish the film was in Mandarin, not Cantonese. For two reasons. One is selfish, because I would be able to understand it without subtitles trying to accurately translate. Two, Mandarin is a less harsh, more fluid language. As far as beauty goes, it would have matched the film's tone better. I also feel as if the film was lacking character depth. That I still felt so much for them, therefore, is even more a testament to Wong's skill. I felt like I did not really know them; that I knew little more than the them strangers saw. Although this may have been a stylistic choice, that does not change the fact that I was left feeling like something was missing.

"In the Mood for Love" is as much about what we do not see and what is not said. Silences mean everything. One glance tells us more than words ever could. A minute shift in tone makes all the difference. For example, we never see the adulterers, Mr. Chan & Mrs. Chow. They remain off screen as other characters talk to them. We spend full moments focused on a character's face, watching them as they begin to cry or as they struggle internally.

Missed opportunities. Missed moments. Misunderstandings. Misconceptions. Wrong place, wrong time. A theme Wong uses in much of his work, such as "Chungking Express" (which I did feel was completely overrated).

Wong was in the mood for love. The audience is in the mood for love. Mrs. Chan and Mr. Chow are in the mood for love. She might not admit it, but Mrs. Chan is in the mood for love. Mr. Chow is in the mood for love.

Alas, still no love.

He calls her. "It's me. If there's an extra ticket... would you go with me?" No answer. Later in the film, their roles are reversed. She wants to know, "It's me. If there's an extra ticket... would you go with me?"

Ironically, it is this film about a love that could be but never was that is named as the most romantic by many. This is one of the reasons I appreciated the film. Had this been filmed in this country, I can almost guarantee you the two of them would have ended up together. Wong did not take the easy way out. Not throughout the film- where he focused on the two being cheated on rather than the ones doing the cheating- and not in the ending, where they continued missing each other, over the years. He garners my respect for this decision. Because this is closer to reality. Often times, love is not enough. Life gets in the way. Circumstances, miscommunications. Excuses, maybe. But that is life. Unfortunately.

Some gems of relationship truth:

"I didn't know married life would be so complicated! When you're single, you are only responsible to yourself. Once you're married, doing well on your own is not enough."

Mrs. Chan asks, "Why didn't you call me today?" "I was afraid you won't like it," Mr. Chow replies. Her response? "Then don't call me ever again."

"In the old days, if someone had a secret they didn't want to share, they went up a mountain, found a tree, carved a hole in it, and whispered the secret into the hole. Then they covered it with mud. And leave the secret there forever." This is something Mr. Chow says to his friend Ah Ping. In the exquisite final scene, filmed in Thailand with "Angkor Wat Theme" playing, we see him peering into a hole; we then see it covered as he walks away.

From right after the title cards: "It is a restless moment. She has kept her head lowered to give him a chance to come closer. But he could not, for lack of courage. She turns and walks away."

From right before the end card: "He remembers those vanished years. As though looking through a dusty window pane, the past is something he could see, but not touch. And everything he sees is blurred and indistinct."

Mrs. Chan says, "You notice things if you pay attention." Indeed. The perfect tip to truly appreciate "In the Mood for Love".

What Wong Kar-Wai is basically dealing with here is reality and artificiality. The two neighbours in this film begin their romance by imitating their idea of the romance between their spouses -- but the line between imitation and reality is always in question. As filmgoers, we believe in the fake romance and unconsummated adultery more than the real thing, as both spouses don't appear in the film. But there's also a dreamlike tone to the film and its cinematography that quashes any idea of reality.

With that said, I think it's this slippery idea of reality that made it so hard for me to engage with the film. There's not much traditional narrative to grab onto here -- the characters are ciphers and the story is slow and frequently interrupted by musical sequences. Kar-Wai is most obviously drawing on Sirkean melodrama and Ozu-esque slow family drama as influences, and I'm not a huge fan of either. It's a beautiful film, especially visually, lingering over the colours of 1960s China and often getting unorthodox, such as the long takes of just one side of a conversation. And it's given me a lot to think about, but the actual experience of watching the movie was kind of a drag. Maybe I'm just not a mature enough cinemaphile. Beautiful, but it's an estranged, sterile type of beauty.

Set in 1962 Hong Kong (in turbulent times, as we are informed), this extremely intimate story of a failed romance between a two married people tied to their traditions manages to recall the essence of old Hollywood in scene after scene of lush colors, evocative yet restrained sensuality (as opposed of the requisite sexuality and occasional nude scenes which has become part of the norm of a romance in film), and the use of facial expressions to suggest subtle changes in mood or communication. It's not hard to see the influence of Marguerite Duras here, since she is known for minimalism in storytelling as well as describing powerful drama using the art of verbal and non-verbal conversation between two characters with a strong bond as well as the use of re-enacting scenes that could eventually take place in both the characters' lives. From Hiroshima MON AMOUR to MODERATO CANTABILE, her pen is strongly visible here from the moment we enter the cramped rooms of Mr. Chow (Tony Leung) and Mrs. Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung) to the last scenes which explain the intensity of regret that he feels as he recalls the opportunity which was lost in reaffirming this relationship.

The plot even resembles something that Duras could have written: Mr. Chow and Mrs. Su Li-zhen, neighbors in a tenement apartment while both being fairly successful professionals, begin to discover in the most banal of ways that their spouses are cheating on them, and they discover quite naturally, it's with each other. The question is, should they act upon what they also feel towards each other or not be like their partners? Every scene plays with the notion that at any moment they will give in to each other, and at one point, it is suggested that eventually they do though as intrusive as the camera is in detailing to us their encounters (which seem to occur on a daily basis as seen by the frequent changes of Cheung's dresses), we never see it. And just as not seeing either of their spouses heightens their own love story, not seeing them carry through with their attraction makes the eventual separation even the more bitter because at every moment we want for something to happen -- some catalyst -- and the only one which comes is when Leung reveals to her that he loves her, followed by his quietly brutal revelation that she will never leave her husband, which implies that neither will he. It also gives us a glimpse of what culture and timing can do: from a Western point of view, a consummation of their romance into a more solid, lasting affair would have been possible especially in the 60s, but as it's Hong Kong, cultural values are markedly different.

Performances here are of the high order: it's very easy to play a torrid love affair, but to continually play a repressed, platonic relationship that is brimming with desire only barely suggested is hard and makes all the sensuality more cerebral than palpable or visual. Cheung and Leung smolder and their blighted chemistry lingers long after the credits have rolled.

Wong Kar-Wai's elegant study of the love between two lonely neighbours is a rare masterpiece of beauty and subtlety that will reward the close attention of any viewer willing to absorb the quietly defining moments of its character's lives and prepared to forsake today's seemingly pre-conditioned requirement for a story to be laid out for them like a menu. It is an intimate story, told with care at a deliberate pace, that captures with exquisite beauty both the depth of emotion shared by the main characters and the social constraints and sense of propriety that apparently precludes them from consummating their love.

Chow (Tony Leung) and Chan (Maggie Cheung) move into single rooms in adjacent apartments on the same day in 1962 Hong Kong. Chan's husband spends weeks at a time away from home on business while Chow's wife proves to be equally elusive. Over time, it becomes apparent to both of them that their spouses are engaged in an affair with each other, a realisation that draws them together and signals the beginning of a deep relationship.

Wong Kar-Wai has fashioned a story that is as beautiful as it is enigmatic. Almost everything is hinted at here, requiring a high degree of concentration from the viewer if they are to be rewarded with any kind of insight into the both the sexual and sociological elements with which the protagonists struggle and the irretrievable sense of loss that is the reward of those who lack the strength and courage of their emotions. The adulterous spouses are never seen on the screen – this isn't their story; they are merely the catalysts for the one we are shown – and the manner in which Chow and Chan uncover their infidelity is typical of the subtlety with which Wong Kar-Wai tells his story. We watch the emotions flickering beneath the surface of Chan's carefully composed face as she offers medicine to Chow's wife, knowing, before we do, that she has interrupted her illicit liaison with her own husband. Next shot: Chow's fist knocking on her door, wedding ring prominent – their wedding rings, symbols here of love, infidelity, and the guilt that separates them, are often prominent – while Chan cries in the shower. A couple of scenes later, the deceit is confirmed when both Chan and Chow realise their spouses have identical possessions that can only be bought overseas.

The mood is almost noirish at times, and the film is suffused with lush colours and patterns. Wong Kar-Wai repeatedly obscures our view, whether through dusty windows, or through skilfully composed framings designed to emphasise the sense of confinement within the teeming, over-populated city of Hong Kong. Many times, a wall takes up half (or more) of the screen. Wong also makes effective use of slow-motion to evoke the impression of loneliness and richly-textured memories, such as the moment early in the film when Chow and Chan, before their friendship develops, share a brief glance in the front room of her landlady in which a mahjong game is taking place. Leung and Cheung are perfect together, conveying their sense of guilt and frustration in performances that rely more on nuance than they do on words – it's the type of acting that only the most accomplished can pull off, and both Leung and Cheung do so admirably.

In the Mood For Love is a film about loneliness in a crowded place, about the bitterness of regret, and its story is told in an intelligent and seductive manner that leaves the viewer astounded by the director's seemingly innate sense of visual imagery and ability to deliver a film of highly-charged emotion in a restrained manner that reflects superbly the internal struggle of its protagonists. Anyone who considers themselves to be a true movie lover should make an effort to see this movie.

WARNING: SPOILER,SPOILER,SPOILER!!!!

This is written for filmgoers who may have walked away from "Mood for Love" perplexed and confused about paths the main characters choose in life. From reading other comments and reviews it seems that many viewers and critics missed some very important details which may have prevented them from enjoying this delightful tease of a movie.

We are so use to seeing blatant SEX in narrations that we forget that there was a time when filmakers would suggest the "dirty deed" by simply showing the slack-mouthed couples ride off in a sleigh or haywagon only to return into the next scene with a bulging gut or a fat toddler stuck to the hip..."Meet your child".

The director chose the same nostalgic approach in telling the story of Mr Chow and Mrs Chan. Last warning...SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

Mr Chow fools Mrs Chan into showing her real emotions when they rehearse his departure forever. Next scene: Mrs Chan leans her head on Mr Chow in the taxi and says "I do not want to go home tonight". Translation: "Let's Do It"

Why then did the couple just not do the modern thing of dumping their cheating spouses,get a divorce,raise their love child and live happily ever after? The answer is that this whole story takes place in Hong Kong during the Sixties. A bastard would live in a bleak life of shame if he were the child of an adulteress;whereas,a "legitimate" child could live a tragic but noble/honest life if his mother chose to raise him away from his cheating "father"-the invisible Mr Chan. In short,Mr Chow and Mrs Chan sacrifices their relationship for the future of their child.

That is why Mr Chow,upon learning that Mrs Chan lives alone with a little boy gives a knowing smile and ends his dreams of making Mrs Chan his Mrs Chow. He then,also realizes why Mrs Chan went to all the way to Singapore to be with him,only to reconsiders at the last momment and leave..,choosing to never see him again.(But not before taking some unnamed keepsake) Mr Chow lives with this wonderful secret with no one to tell. No one,except for a crumbling temple wall and of course we the viewer,...but only if we listen carefuly.

This is an excellent film--with beautiful and haunting music and an interesting story. I like how the two people knew their partners were cheating on them but they were just too decent to return the favor. Their unresolved love was very well developed and really had me pulling for the characters. However, although I have a pretty high tolerance for slow-moving films, this one just seemed to drag and went at too subdued a pace. I actually liked the pacing, but kept expecting it to pick up a little more. But, it never really did, and this reduced my overall score for the film. I didn't need some sort of Hollywood happy ending, but the slowness just got to me after a while.

Spoilers herein.

Start with your typical Hong Kong Kung Fu movie. A normal director will simply film that. But not this guy.

What drives kung fu movies is not the bozos doing the fighting, but the masters behind them who use them as surrogates. But then, what drives the kung fu masters? The fellow writing the story, that's who.

That's where this kung fu movie starts. The central figure is the writer of a successful martial arts series. But it is even more abstract: the film is about what creates him.

It is half about his space. every shot starts or finishes on the surrounding space, very close, confining. That space includes his neighbor, who is thrust into his life by proximity and indirect relationship.

I choose to think that the relationship between the spouses is imagined, part of an extended role playing activity which forms the core of the film. That's what we see: a story about the creation of a story (the relationship) which results in the story (the martial arts series).

All the mechanics are meditative, repetitive. We see countless small acts, the movements of people interacting with their environments. Lot's of close space, smoke, crimped walking, unsaid comments. The music recurrs. Everything repeats. All the major acts are relived or anticipated in practice.

Finally, the environment, hence the story unravels as the space changes, first as he gets a space in which to write, then moves to Singapore. Finally, he whispers the story into a hole in a ruin in Cambodia. Along the way we are transported to an abstract world of human causality.

This is great. In my rating system, for every high mark I give, I have to balance it with a low mark. Now I can watch a 2.

"Fa yeung nin wah" is a co-production between Hong Kong and China, but this was made in Thailand back in 2000, so it is already over two decades old now and I had the occasion to watch it for the first time not too long ago as theaters picked it up again. I like that usually and find it a bit sad that for these old films being presented again at movie theaters, there are no great crowds, but with this one here, in the end, I was not surprised or disappointed that there was only one other person in the room. The really high imdb rating basically got me to the movie theater that day. And also the number of ratings here because the six-digit amount means that this is surely among the more-seen, if not most-seen Asian films from the 21st century. Even if it barely made it inside this 21st century. The writer and director is Kar-Wai Wong and this was far from an early career effort from him. He is in his mid-60s now and still considered among the most influential Asian filmmakers out there, even if quite a few others have made very big waves recently. This film here was not the only not exactly recent film that hit theaters again from him, so he seems to be in the news again. Kinda ironic though that my favorite from him is a movie with American actors that most do not like too much, but may have to do with my Norah Jones preference. Anyway, back to this one here: The running time is briefly under 100 minutes, so not a too long film in fact and I think there is also really this one version, which is really not a given with Asian films. And I must say I am glad about that. It dragged a lot for me and there felt little substance below the admittedly fairly watchable make-up, cinematography, art direction and costumes. But it's just difficult when key conflicts in here consist of characters wondering for how long their mah-jongg game continues.

The two lead actors are Tony Chiu-Wai Leung and Maggie Cheung, both briefly under the age of 60 now, which means barely under the age of 40 back then. He is still a prolific actor, she seems to be retired now. Everybody as (s)he wants. I cannot say a lot else about these two actors because I don't really know their other stuff, but what I saw here also did not really make me too curious to check it out, even if I feel that the screenplay was a bigger problem in this very slow movie than the performances. Anyway, there are of course many supporting actors as well, but none were really massive key figures. Maybe the main characters' significant others before the movie come closest to that, but in the end it is about nobody other than the two people you see on the poster here. There are no side stories really. Also, it's not even remotely comedic. Kar-Wai Wong has delivered subtle comedy here and there, but this one here is really all about the romance. Also not about drama. No other genre than romance really. I guess the idea that one character says she goes out to buy noodles (while being really well-dressed) could have been a bit of a running gag, but it is never meant as such. So there is the spice somewhat missing to this film altogether and the idea alone of a romance between these two, of him falling for her as he explicitly states does not make it watchable on its own the way it was presented her. She is never as explicit with such a statement that she loves him, but you can maybe read between the lines with how he reminds her of her husband, but also we hear (from him) that she will never leave her husband. The smaller characters are brought in again through statements like how they know there is something going on and it did not work for long to shut them out and keep it a secret. From that perspective, maybe the reference to the question if it isn't enough that the two themselves know there is no romance between them (yeah, right!) is an interesting one. At least more interesting than the rest of the film for the most part.

The sequence with the male protagonist and for once not the female protagonist is also easier to remember when he is asked if he has somebody else, then responds with yes and basically relaunches the weird situation and then says no. This honestly did not feel like something to happen in real life. Not in 2021 for sure, but also not 20 years earlier. We have to keep in mind that this is not a film from the 1960s or so. I know this is where it was set, but even for that era, the ways in which the characters interacted and the exact dialogue writing did not feel too credible. It felt more modern and looked more modern. This surely, at least to some extent, had to do with this being a color film. As for director Wong, it is not unusual at all that he has connections to western culture, not only because of him having worked at Hollywood too, but also because of how he has used really American English-language songs in other films and here at least the performer is American if we take a look at a song used on really many occasions here, especially in the second half. I am of course talking about Nat King Cole, an artist I kinda like, even if I would not say I am a fan, and the song is "Quizás, quizás, quizás", the Spanish-language version of "Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps" that is mostly known thanks to Doris Day if I remember correctly. Anyway, this song is one I definitely appreciate and always feels very catchy, so it may have been my favorite aspect from the film even. Says a lot about the other production values though in a not particularly positive manner. So yeah, more focus from Wong here on South European language instead of America this time, but still not a 100% Asian movie, even if it is with the setting, character etc.

Aside from that, I must also say that the impact of the main characters' professions and scenes linked to their workplace left me rather unimpressed. Nothing simply stood out. Nothing made an impact. There is just nothing special to one minor character telling a major character that she can have the next day off until noon because she will be out in the evening. At a movie it was I think. Hopefully a better movie than this one here. As I am moving closer to the final stages of my review now, however, let me still say from a more positive perspective that visually this film is okay. I mentioned it early already, but there is really no blame here to put on the fashion designers or the visual artists that worked on the many production departments linked to this film. However, as a consequence of that, the outcome overall feels like a fairly solid birthday present in terms of the wrapping, but what is inside, feels like a major disappointment. I also don't think I was distracted or anything while watching. This movie never really took off from my perspective and I'd say the rating here on imdb is way too high unfortunately. The film is still in the imdb top250, top235 even, but to me it belongs nowhere near, also not into the top2500 for that matter, maybe top25000 barely, and it will be a good day when it loses its place in this prestigious collection of movies. Certainly one of the worst inclusions.

A key criticism of the entire presentation for me is that I never really cared for the characters, cheered for the characters to get together, end up asa couple and at least this could have been a desired effect if there is really absolutely nothing else to it here. In terms of genres or true qualities. Also kinda shocking to see this was (according to imdb) nominated for almost 100 awards, including big players like the BAFTAs, and won approximately half of them. I cannot see why at all and I am pretty sure a rewatch is not gonna change anything about that. This film is not a failure, but certainly on the weak and highly overrated side. I give the outcome a thumbs-down and again I must say that this did not run for two hours or something. Still, I guess you can nonetheless check it out if you like or better love Asian romance films that are not very recent because, looking at the overall reception by critics, awards bodies and movies-goers in general, many thought this was a quality watch. I am curious how you see it, but I would certainly be more amazed if you also think this one is very much on the pompous,, style-over-substance side. I give it a thumbs-down and a pretty definite one indeed. Best if if you skip the watch here. Even at a movie theater, this was not good. At a simple television or laptop screen probably even more disapointing outcome.

Maggie Cheung's Mrs Chan and Tony Leung's Mr Chow are husband and wife, but not to each other. Cheung is dressed gorgeously in no less than 46 Cheongsam dresses, each vivid and ornate, and often descends from the shared apartment in this formal dress and make-up to purchase noodles for a lonely dinner. Leung's hair is always immaculately gelled and styled, and he wears his one wrinkled grey suit with a sense of modesty in his presentation. They are in the mood for love, but they do not consummate it, for fears of becoming just like their cheating spouses.

Wong Kar-wai's direction ensures that Mr Chan and Mr Chow are never quite clearly sighted face to face, through precise blocking and composition. In one transition, we see Mrs Chow, her back facing towards us via mirror, making another of her excuses over the phone to a lonely Chow at home. We then cut to the same mirror, with Chow now inquiring at her wife's work, his face full and revealing, flushed with honesty, sincerity, and looming heartbreak. The first of the those evocative slow motion moments, where the tender and mournful strings of Yumeji's Theme and the rhythmic Pizzicato plucks rise, has Mrs Chow then Mrs Chan enter the dining room, both with a sense of elegance and beauty. These recurring musical motifs signal each little moment of weakness, of coincidence, of intimacy through unspoken words and emotions. They brush past each other whilst purchasing meals for one in the alleyway, they work closely (but not too closely) on the martial arts serial, they lament their separation and missed opportunities. One time, her hand flirts away when he tries to hold it. Later, they fully wrap around each other and provide comfort in the bottom lit taxi. They belong to their respective spouses, but in that first scene we are already shown an inkling of what is to come. There's a clever moment where we open with a OTS shot of a man and Su having dinner, where she brings up those fateful accusatory words. The confrontation is allowed to continue and simmer with denial, before we finally cut to reveal that they have been simulating the whole thing. But it's remarkably authentic - they choose to wound themselves with imaginary dialogue, too scared to face reality.

Doyle's (and later Ping Bing's) cinematography plays plenty with depth of field, often framing Chow and Su's moments from behind curtains, or blinds, or shutters of a cupboard, which are in the foreground and blurry whereas the pair are crystal clear in their emotional intimacy and lack of physical intimacy. This voyeuristic aesthetic works within the context of socially conservative Hong Kong of the 1960s - the supporting cast do well to create an aura of gossip, judgement and scrutiny of every tiny detail of the pair's lives, even more so in the shared proximity of the apartment. Mrs Suen misreads the recipient of a letter from a spouse abroad, and that little mistake is enough to create a storm of doubt and fear within both Su and Chow. My parents lived through this period of HK, and by all accounts the cramped, claustrophobic set is pitch perfect, right down to the fly screen cupboards that served as makeshift fridges. It's limited in scope and size, encapsulating the lack of space and privacy of urban Hong Kong. But it's not grimy; these families live in relative financial comfort in spite their domestic strife. Lush reds, browns, yellow and greens saturate and seep into the screen and work with the bold multicoloured dresses and the noir elements - in one scene a lonely Chow retreats at night to his office, framed by the single overhead light of his desk, the swirls of cigarette smoke billowing in the light and shade. Doyle cuts off the heads frequently and lingers on the body language and the attire, on the pretense of innocence and naivety. A simple dolly of the camera from wall to wall emphasises each lonely soul, so close and yet so far apart.

In a lesser film, the presence of convenient downpours of rain might be criticised for a plot device in bringing together a couple. Here, it becomes tragic, because although they have the opportunity (the whole double spouse cheating plot is pretty much a rom-com script waiting to be written), they can't bear to take it. When Su finally gains the courage, she is too late, and the film slows down to an agonising pace where Chow waits for no one in the corridor, the same place Su later stands still, the red of her dress matching the curtains. A hotel, ripe for infidelity, is the location for innocent activities, unable to bridge the gap.

In that final scene, Chow travels to Cambodia, finding a hole into the stone of the Angkor Wat Temple before whispering a heavy secret and covering up any presence of his visit with an earthly mound of soil. We then cut, and the soil is now sprouting blades of grass - he has carried this secret with him beyond time. In the Mood for Love is about two people, wrapped up in intimacy yet so full of guilt and sadness and despair for what they have done, and what they haven't. My heart breaks for them.

The Criterion DVD I watched also had this short on it as well : "Hua yang de nian hua"

I strongly recommend folks watching or re-watching the main film to watch that 3-minute collage before (and perhaps also after) the main feature. By far the most passionate love affair on display is Wong Kar Wai's deep and undying affection for old Hong Kong cinema.

As for "In the Mood for Love" itself I'd recommend it mostly for the pleasure-deniers out there. Those who felt their soul mate slipped away a lifetime ago, the girl on the bus, the guy from the wrong side of the tracks, the knowing glance across a library at closing. You know who you are, and you cherish your asceticism. More power to you, enjoy this movie watch it on a bed of nails, reflected in a dirty window.

As a mere pleasure delayer, I found the constant "We shouldn't....we mustn't" nature of the interactions draining.

There is probably a part of the brain that is stimulated by that tension. I guess my brain is just disconnected there, as the role-playing interludes in the film, where the unlovers would ape their lesser absent halves, fizzled somewhere between my head and heart.

One scene along those lines was omitted from the film but included in the deleted bonuses. In it, the two leads side-by-side disrobe on a bed, but stay cloaked at the soul level. That scene betrays the lack of chemistry even if it preserved the sanctity of their opposing marriages.

The films denouement moves quickly, including whispers in Angkor Wat and a relatively quiet mention of the son of the invisible husband. I found myself craving more about either of those.

The film has much to look at, and I do mean beyond taut legs and rigid cheongsam collars. Ultimately I appreciated this strictly as a paean to films that Wong must have grown up on and cherished happily ever after.

This film might present the most unrequited pure romance in movie history. There's an ethereal quality to the picture, with close-up frames of the conflicted principal characters, and fluid slow motion sequences that add to the romantic nature of the story. For this viewer, the ambiance seemed to be French in a way, even though the story takes place in Hong Kong with an Oriental couple attempting to sort out their feelings after discovering their marriage partners are cheating on them with each other. I had to think about that, because the off screen relationship is insinuated quite strongly, but we never actually see the husband of Mrs. Chan (Maggie Cheung), or the wife of Mr. Chow (Tony Chiu-Wai Leung). They could have been carrying on separate affairs altogether.

As odd as it sounds at first, the soundtrack with Nat King Cole singing in Spanish adds another layer of exotic mystery to the relationship between the chaste lovers. One may admire the way the couple resisted temptation to break their marriage vows, particularly in light of their own partners' indiscretions. To my mind, Mrs. Chan appeared to be the more resolute of the two, which makes it somewhat surprising that with the passage of years, she wound up living alone with a child, with one's instincts about the father left to the imagination. It's a rather ambitious film for director Kar-Wai Wong, who's unique filming style often involves characters having conversations off screen, adding yet another thoughtfully reflective layer to the story being told.