Review of I Don't Want to Sleep Alone (2006) by Hari S — 17 Oct 2008

This film is perhaps not the best introduction to tsai-ming liangâ??s work (vive lâ??amour is terrific), but a film that tsai-ming liang fans should see. The film grows on you â?? there is almost non-existent dialogue and the main character doesnâ??t speak at all, but if you examine the film closely, the film is constructed very carefully â?? each shot has a place in the overall story.

The film expands on the directors previous efforts exploring urban alienation, and the role of strong human relationships which sustain us. Again, like kiorastamiâ??s films, tsai ming liang refuses to follow easy pacing and shot cuts that allows for immersion â?? he makes (more so in this film than in his previous work) the audience aware of time itself, and uses his pacing, long shots, as a mechanism of reflection on contemporary society.