Review of In the Mood for Love (2000) by Jason W — 16 Jun 2009

The title is slightly misleading as it is more about the moments in between the rock-solid certainty we associate with being in love. These moments are paranoid, depressing and full of second guesses. While the two protagonists placed in another film might be fully expected and encouraged to have an affair together, it receives more nuance and more consideration here.

Mrs. Chan and Mr. Chow suffer finding out their spouses are having an affair together and become friends themselves. They dine together, they walk, they talk and even write serial stories together.Their bond is strong yet they need to do everything in their power, or they feel they need to, to avoid becoming like their unfaithful partners. Even if it's only perception. It's a fascinating look into the fallout of an affair and Kar Wai Wong seems to purposely avoid giving a face to either partner of the affair. Most movies deal with those who initiate, not with those who were cuckolded.

See it for the cinematography and the score above everything else. It's a film of beauty and even if the story doesn't ring fully true, as the emotion is played pretty deadpan, the imagery and music will blow you away.