In the Mood for Love
Composite Score: 85.07
Starring: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Maggie Cheung, Siu Ping-Lam, Rebecca Pan, Kelly Lai Chen, Man-Lei Chan, Szu-Ying Chien, Paulyn Sun, and Roy Cheung
Director: Wong Kar-Wai
Writer: Wong Kar-Wai
Genres: Drama, Romance
MPAA Rating: PG for thematic elements and brief language
Box Office: $14.20 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
In the Mood for Love is Wong Kar-Wai’s romantic drama about a man and woman who move into adjacent apartments in Hong Kong in the 1960s with their respective spouses and the relationship that forms between them. The film stars Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Maggie Cheung as its leading figures – Chow Mo-wan or Mr. Chow and Su Li-zhen or Mrs. Chan. Their discovery of their partners’ mutual infidelity leads them to strike up a platonic romance to cope with the hurt of betrayal that they both feel until that new relationship comes a bit too close to blossoming into something else for their mutual comfort. The film has been universally acclaimed as one of the best films of the 21st century, one of the best films of Hong Kong cinema, one of the best romances ever made, one of Wong Kar-Wai’s best films, and just generally one of the greatest films of all time thanks to its beautiful filmmaking, touching story, and subtly moving lead performances.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
Other than a (flawed) stance against watching films in other languages, I can think of no reason that anyone wouldn’t thoroughly enjoy watching In the Mood for Love. It is a beautiful film about longing, loneliness, and, yes, love that supersedes most other romantic dramas that have ever been made. Its slow-burn story and nature as an international film might put it a bit more on the “artsy” end of the cinematic spectrum, but its themes, performances, and visuals keep it easily approachable for most audiences who can overcome an aversion to subtitles.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
Where do I even begin to describe the greatness of In the Mood for Love? I guess it comes down to the fact that this film drives every bit of itself toward the end that Wong Kar-Wai wanted to achieve, and it works on every level. The cinematography, done by Christopher Doyle, Pun-Leung Kwan, and Ping Bin Lee, brings the audience into the world of 1960s Hong Kong alongside the film’s working-class protagonists, and every shot communicates the longing and loneliness that both of them experience, offering that sensation to the audience as well. The music, blending “contemporary” needle drops of Nat King Cole, Chinese operas and traditional songs, and a haunting but enthralling score, all drive the audience to that same place – hoping for Mo-wan and Li-zhen to end up together but knowing somehow that they simply can’t. The performances from Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Maggie Cheung let the audience know that that inevitable end is coming, exuding regret and longing from their first moments on the screen, like two people in the right place at the wrong time every time. Both of them portray the reserve of the period and the desire to break out from it so excellently that the audience can’t help but feel the same. Finally, Wong’s writing, jumping between locations and times, drives home the finality of the whole thing, showing the audience the love story unfold almost as a memory in its disjointed moments, never lingering because he knows how it all ends, and if we’re being honest with ourselves, we know, too, because of how the story is going. By the time we reach our inevitable destination with the rest of the cast and filmmakers, the audience is left devastated by the longing that we feel for a past that may never have even been ours to begin with, and we can’t help but marvel at the brilliance of the film that we have just experienced.
Wong Kar-Wai’s In the Mood for Love is an achievement in cinema, taking audiences along for an immersive experience in desire, love, and regret with every frame, every interaction, every line of dialogue, fully earning its spot among the Greatest Films of All Time. If you haven’t gotten past the very small hurdle of subtitles in your films, you need to get over it and watch this film ASAP. It is currently available to stream on Max, and I don’t know what you’re still doing here reading this instead of opening that app up immediately.
