Chungking Express (Widescreen) [Import]

Chungking Express (1994)
Comedy, Drama, Mystery, 102 minutes, Cantonese Language
Directed by Wong Kar-Wai
Starring Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung, Faye Wong and Takeshi Kaneshiro

If you look at the cover of Chungking Express, you will catch a glimpse of some of the stylistic choices made by director Wong Kar-Wai. This is a film that intrigues me because of its style rather than the plot itself. Many of the images are blurred deliberately to reflect Hong Kong's fast-paced life. Other segments are shown in slow motion.

The story is in two parts and shows a glimpse into the lives of two policemen. The first has just broken up with his girlfriend, but he's in denial because it happened on April 1 and she might just be playing a joke on him. He decides to give her one month to reveal that she's joking. As she likes pineapple chunks, he decides to buy one can per day until she comes back to him. The cans must have an expiry date of May 1 as that's when her time expires. When she fails to return, he eats all of the 30 cans in one night. I mention that scene as an example because it demonstrates just how original the script is. The way the characters think and behave is extremely strange and that's part of the reason the film works so well for me.

There are essentially four characters in the movie. The first cop, after eating the 30 cans of pineapple chunks, decides to talk to the next woman he encounters. She turns out to be a drug dealer with an interesting story of her own.

The second story is probably the stronger of the two. It concerns a second cop who is about to break up with his girlfriend. She leaves a letter for him at a food bar he regularly frequents. A woman working at the food bar has a crush on him and steals the key to his apartment from the envelope.

The film contains a lot of humor, as well as drama and romance. It's just interesting to visit this strange world and hang out with the characters once in a while. The color palette and quirky plot reminds me somewhat of Amelie and it's not meant to be taken completely seriously. The story offers some thoughts on how random life can be. We can pass strangers in the street and they could become an important part of our lives in the future. One of the characters loves listening to California Dreamin', so be prepared to hear that throughout the second story.

Hong Kong is often a study of the absurd, but it always has a way of captivating you. This movie manages to capture much of both sides of this. While those who know Hong Kong find some of the continuity a little jumpy (how do they get from Hong Kong to Kowloon and back so fast?), it is a gem of a visual introduction to living in the real Hong Kong. Filmed almost entirely within a few blocks around Wellington Street, the escalator and Lan Kwai Fong, you can almost smell the streets as they were 10 years ago. The 2 stories that make up the film are also contrasts - between the sheer pace and mayhem of one to the simple minded childishness of the other. Brilliant.

I love this movie. It has a little bit of everything, love, humour,sadness and adventure. This is a really enjoyable movie about us (humans) and what we are like when no one is watching. Much better than other movies in this genre ie. Lost in translation. This movie always leaves me feeling optimistic. It is a film that is smart and dares to be different. All this is directed with a confident and assured hand that never loses it's focus on what this film is saying. Flawless editing with a great soundtrack. You will not go wrong with this movie.