Review of In the Mood for Love (2000) by Hatem A — 10 Aug 2010

3.5/4.0.

Set in Hong Kong in 1962, a journalist (Tony Leung) rents a room in an apartment building the same day that a shipping company secretary also moves into the same building. Despite both being married, they are extremely lonely as their respective spouses are constantly unavailable presumably because of their jobs. The movie takes its time to depict the loneliness of the two characters and their numerous chance encounters that eventually lead them to a revelation that they both suspected?their respective spouses are having an affair with each other. The two grow closer and try to envision/improvise how the relationship between their spouses started and currently stands as a unique love story unravels. Writer-director Wong-Kar Wai crafted a deliberately paced depiction of a very subtle love story driven by loneliness and an awkward common ground. The movie looks great with each frame deliberately and beautifully composed thanks to cinematography by Christopher Doyle and Pin Bing Lee. The ending is sad yet pitch-perfect and loved the fact that we actually don?t see their spouses all through the movie, which accentuates the feeling of loneliness. Only flaw is that it feels too slow at times despite brief running time of around 90 minutes.