Wong Kar-Wai is in fine form with this tale of a pair of lovers in a strange land.
Christopher Doyle's cinematography provides some of the most beautiful images a disheveled urban landscape could possibly yield. I would go as far to say that this could be Kar-Wai's was aesthetically accomplished film (with perhaps "In the Mood" neck-in-neck).
This film differs from the more romanticized or fantastic elements of Chungking, Fallen Angels or In the Mood. This is a very real story and while Kar-Wai's universal theme of love plays a huge part it does not transmute the world into a world through the looking glass.
It is also worth mention that cultural difference plays little if any role in this film. While Leung is seen interacting with Asian tourists neither he nor his lover seem alienated while in Argentina. You feel the same about the environment as you do when you see the urban world of Hong Kong. Perhaps this is Kar-Wai proving that one's perception is far more important that one's location.
Overall this is an incredible film bursting at the seems with originality, humor, emotion and a flair that imbues all of this Hong Kong auteur's prolific and consistent body of work.
Christopher Doyle's cinematography provides some of the most beautiful images a disheveled urban landscape could possibly yield. I would go as far to say that this could be Kar-Wai's was aesthetically accomplished film (with perhaps "In the Mood" neck-in-neck).
This film differs from the more romanticized or fantastic elements of Chungking, Fallen Angels or In the Mood. This is a very real story and while Kar-Wai's universal theme of love plays a huge part it does not transmute the world into a world through the looking glass.
It is also worth mention that cultural difference plays little if any role in this film. While Leung is seen interacting with Asian tourists neither he nor his lover seem alienated while in Argentina. You feel the same about the environment as you do when you see the urban world of Hong Kong. Perhaps this is Kar-Wai proving that one's perception is far more important that one's location.
Overall this is an incredible film bursting at the seems with originality, humor, emotion and a flair that imbues all of this Hong Kong auteur's prolific and consistent body of work.