Wong Kar Wai's feature debut is decently confident; Beautifully directed, even if the film itself is held back a lot by the basic gangster formula. As Tears Go By is an intimate film with a structure I can almost compare to Blue Velvet. Both films interwine two storylines of gritty organized crime and naturalistic romance. The two plots don't directly interfere, but they both feel carefully constructed to paint the main character Wah (Andy Lau, a powerful performance).
The plot is predictable like any of these late 80's Hong Kong crime thrillers. It all involves risky operations and life-threatening situations. It is always obvious that there are no optimistic outcomes. This part is a story of brotherhood, between the powerful Wah and his sidekick, an impulsive gangster wannabe who easily gets himself into trouble (hence the constant need for Wah to set aside his personal life to save him). Besides all this is a romance between Wah and his cousin Ngor (Maggie Cheung, always the glimpse of innocence in an otherwise darker tone) that is simple, yet affectionate, and bittersweet.
Wong Kar Wai entered his directing career with a more mainstream title. As Tears Go By is almost a vehicle for him to build his style. There are differences between this film and others of its kind. For one, it has a tender soul beneath its cold, bitter surface. The presence of such a quiet relationship between our protagonist adds the film some humanity.
If only Wong focuses a little more on the emotional parts instead of the bleak scenes of fights and confrontations. And two years later, he made Days of Being Wild, an emotional character study that is unconcerned with plot but with mood. Now that's a true Wong Kar Wai film.
The plot is predictable like any of these late 80's Hong Kong crime thrillers. It all involves risky operations and life-threatening situations. It is always obvious that there are no optimistic outcomes. This part is a story of brotherhood, between the powerful Wah and his sidekick, an impulsive gangster wannabe who easily gets himself into trouble (hence the constant need for Wah to set aside his personal life to save him). Besides all this is a romance between Wah and his cousin Ngor (Maggie Cheung, always the glimpse of innocence in an otherwise darker tone) that is simple, yet affectionate, and bittersweet.
Wong Kar Wai entered his directing career with a more mainstream title. As Tears Go By is almost a vehicle for him to build his style. There are differences between this film and others of its kind. For one, it has a tender soul beneath its cold, bitter surface. The presence of such a quiet relationship between our protagonist adds the film some humanity.
If only Wong focuses a little more on the emotional parts instead of the bleak scenes of fights and confrontations. And two years later, he made Days of Being Wild, an emotional character study that is unconcerned with plot but with mood. Now that's a true Wong Kar Wai film.