In The Mood For Love

In the Mood for Love (Faa Yeung Nin Wa) (2000)

Runtime: 98 minutes

Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai

Starring: Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Siu Ping Lam, Rebecca Pan, Lai Chen

From: Several different Chinese companies

Yep, I finally saw a beloved movie, and it does deserve its high reputation. See why by reading below:

I realize this may be shocking on a site like Letterboxd, but not only had I never seen this movie before I watched it real late last night on Turner Classic Movies, this was my first Wong Kar-Wai period. As I've heard so many strong things about this motion picture, it seemed like something I should see.

A serious reserved drama set in early 1960's Hong Kong where a man and woman (both leading monotonous lives) meet and befriend each other and they realize they share another, more unfortunate connection with each other...... it doesn't sound like something typically in my wheelhouse (and it isn't) but it's greatly compelling the entire time-nuanced the whole way-and with deft skill from Kar-Wai, you're always interested in seeing how Chow and Su get to know each other through plenty of short but succinct scenes. You feel bad for them when they realize the unfortunate situation they are both in, and you wonder what the relationship between those two will evolve to.

To reveal much more about the plot would be criminal so I'll leave it there. I'll just say that it's a beautiful movie in every way which has so many subtleties, it is something I'll revisit in the future for sure. The important thing is wondering how things would be if they were only slightly different, or if you arrived somewhere just minutes earlier. I certainly have wondered about such things throughout the years. Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, both were outstanding in those lead roles. Cheung was more than just a lovely figure which wore a bunch of dresses (usually colorful) although she was striking in those outfits.


It's a haunting movie about how a pair of characters react and manage a tragic situation for them and thankfully it's not the cliché nonsense you'd get in most movies and instead it's something more mature. This is definitely a motion picture best experienced in person rather than me trying to describe it; watching it for yourself you can understand its magnificence and why me giving it the highest possible rating is not an overreaction on my part.