In The Mood For Love (2000)

In The Mood For Love

Directed by: Wong Kar-wai

Starring: Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung

Released: 2000

Country of Origin: Hong Kong

Runtime: 98 min.

I have never been in love. It might sound sad to some, but it's just not something I've had happen. For the most part, I'm OK with this. With that lack of romantic experience, I sometimes wonder how much I really understand films that deal with those emotions. Can you really understand a cinematic depiction of romantic love, if you've never felt that? I'd argue, that yes you can. If you were to follow that logic, nearly every film that deals with something unknown to you would be impenetrable. Take holocaust films: very few people have experienced the horrors of that era, yet millions are impacted by their depictions on-screen. Any filmmaker worth his salt can take a subject and create something anyone can connect with. So when approaching Wong Kar-wai's In The Mood For Love, it's completely unnecessary to have been in love to appreciate the passion and heartbreak you see in the film.

In The Mood For Love begins in 1962, when two couples move in next door to each other in a Hong Kong apartment building. The story centers on Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan, who both have rather absent marriage partners. Their other-halves always seem to be working late or away on business, leaving their spouses to spend most of their time at home, alone. Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan, slowly build a casual acquaintanceship via various chance meetings in the building or outside on the streets. They begin to notice odd coincidences that lead to a realization that their spouses are having an affair with each other. As a coping mechanism, they begin spending their spare time together, swearing to never be like their adulterous partners, and play-acting how their spouses met and what it would be like to confront them about it.

The master stroke that sets this apart, is the absence of a physical aspect to Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan's relationship, it shows an amazing amount of restraint on Wong Kar-wai's end. If this was handled by a lesser artist, the relationship would have a logical physical consummation, which would have cheapened the experience. The deep emotional core is kept intact with this strategy, much to same effect as in Lost In Translation. In both films, had the central characters slept with each other, they would have fallen into a plot device that is all too typical and thoughtless. Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan do fall in love, but it's a love of missed opportunities and a deep desire to not lower themselves to the level of their spouses. It's heart breaking to watch as these two form a deep bond but are unable to morally act upon it at the time.

The film has the feel of a classic noir without the mystery, the colors are dark and moody, with scenes mostly taking place at night or as rain is falling. Wong Kar-wai has a certain style with his films, one that has a close comparison to that of Jean-Luc Godard. It's hip and oozes with that sixties French coolness while still being completely grounded in its Hong Kong setting. Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung are both common actors in Wong Kar-wai's films, and both churn out what might be their best performance in their already impressive careers. They both have a subtle charm, while avoiding the dramatic pitfalls of a story about lost love and heartbreak. Never do either display an emotional outburst, even in the scene where they realized their partners deceit, instead it become a slow revelation of something they both may have known but where unwilling to let themselves admit. These all add to what makes this film so special and refreshing.

FINAL VERDICT: If you like romantic movies that aren't your typical Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan feature, than this one is for you. Guys, this would make a great date movie and save you from possibly having to watch a film that just might make your IQ drop. Many years ago, I saw Wong Kar-wai's 2046. I didn't really connect with it, but I just found out that it's a loose sequel to In The Mood For Love. Based on how much I loved this movie, I'm going to have to re-watch that film, as I may have a better appreciation for it, now that I have the correct context.