Review of In the Mood for Love (2000) by Joe C — 04 Jan 2015

Wong Kar-wai's achingly romantic, yet somber account of star-crossed lovers has a strong claim to be the best-looking film you'll ever see. The beautiful '60s costumes, oiled hair, free-flowing cigarette smoke, neon cinematography and unspeakably gorgeous cast will catch the eyes, while the tale of two neighbors, who discover that their spouses are cheating on them, fall in love with one another while trying to deal with the revelation tugs the heartstrings.

Melancholic, perhaps, but the largely wordless and thought-inducing narrative, Yo-Yo Ma's bittersweet score and Kar-wai's eclectic, ever-changing directing style are a genuine throwback to the art-deco films of Federico Felini and Ingmar Bergman.