This was Wong Kar-wai’s first film, although I didn’t see it until fairly late in my Wong-jucation (probably because it’s one of the few that doesn’t feature the wonderful Tony Leung Chiu-wai – they didn’t start collaborating until his brief appearance at the end of Days of Being Wild, which came next.) It’s pretty far down on my list of his films, but it really is interesting and well-made. More than anything, it’s a testament to how jaw-droppingly gorgeous some of the later stuff is that I don’t rate this one higher.
Wah, a mid-level gangster, is on the brink – of pretty much everything. Of moving up in his organization, of throttling his “little brother” Fly before the fellow gangster gets himself or Wah killed with his reckless behavior, of exploding from all his unvoiced (maybe even unrecognized) discontentment, and even of leaving all that behind him for Ah-Ngor, his sweet and beautiful cousin. Ah-Ngor is a provincial girl who lives off the mainland, but poor health has recently brought her into Hong Kong, where she’s been staying with Wah. The two have a strong, simmering connection, but she worries about the danger of his volatile way of life. Wah is thinking about going straight for her, but there’s Fly to think of. What will happen to his friend if Wah isn’t there to look out for him?
Most of my favorite Wong films don’t fall into the gangster genre, just as a personal preference, so even though this is a very goodgangster movie, I can’t compare it to something like Ashes of Time or In the Mood for Love. Still, when done well, I can enjoy this type of film just fine, and this one is sterling. Even though the plots are so different, it reminds me a lot of State of Grace, maybe because of the relationship between Wah and Fly? It’s a nice realization of why a life like that could appeal to someone beyond thrill-seeking, power, or by-any-means-necessary dough acquisition – those ties run deep. Fly’s hot temper and dubious competence can turn virtually any situation into a crisis, but Wah stands by him through thick and thin, whether that’s pulling him out of yet another jam or trying to slap some sense into him in the vain hope of keeping him safe for once. The film delivers nicely on the romance front as well. The love story is a bit basic, but it’s conveyed so effectively, with Wong’s classic romanticism already on fine display in the cinematography and music.
As Wah and Ah-Ngor, Andy Lau (who went on to do Infernal Affairs, the Hong Kong precursor to The Departed) and the sublime Maggie Cheung (frequent Wong collaborator, most memorably in In the Mood for Love) are electric together. Lau is a strong, subtle lead, and Cheung gives a beautifully introspective performance. Jacky Cheung (he was also in Ashes of Time) is very memorable as the irrepressible Fly.
Fun fact: this film is where I first heard the song “Take My Breath Away.” After hearing it elsewhere, though, it took me forever to realize it was the same song, since most of the lyrics in this version are in Cantonese. I just knew it always made me think of “that song from As Tears Go By.”
Warnings
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