As Tears Go By (1988)

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

Some fairly strong gang violence, sexual content, drinking/smoking, and thematic elements.

In the Mood for Love (2000, PG)

 

I love Wong Kar-wai’s films, and this is the one that did me in.  It wasn’t my first.  I’d actually already seen 2046 – since, unbeknownst to me at the time, it’s a sequel of sorts to this movie, I found it gorgeous and incomprehensible – which put its sumptuous predecessor on my radar.  It was quite some time before I got my hands on it, but when I did, I was absolutely bowled over.

 

In the Mood for Love, beautifully set in Hong Kong in the early 60s, is the quiet story of a profound connection between a man and a woman.  Neighbors Chow Mo-wan and Su Li-zhen go from acquaintances to confidantes when they realize that their spouses are having an affair with one another.  With the adulterers abroad together, Mo-wan and Li-zhen forge a gentle bond as they both muddle through the pain of being left behind.  In this time and place, neither can talk openly about what’s happened to them; it’s one of those things that Just Aren’t Spoken Of, and so they put on serene faces while they silently break in private.  Only with each other can they be sincere. 

 

It begins as a mutual means of coping.  They piece together details of the affair and contemplate its origins, they try to imagine what their spouses are like together, and they role-play confrontation scenarios.  As time goes by, however, their connection goes beyond shared pain as they discover shared interests, and suddenly, they start to feel secretive about their relationship.  Close friendships between married men and women in the absence of their spouses Just Aren’t Done either, and they can’t bear the thought of anyone thinking they’rethe ones being unfaithful.

 

There is where In the Mood for Lovedistinguishes itself from so many romances.  Mo-wan and Li-zhen are undeniably entwined – theirs is a deep, emotional connection, a kinship of the soul, and there’s palpable electricity between them, but it’s all crackling just beneath the surface.  This isn’t a film about groping and clinging and sweating.  Rather, it’s about slight, soft touches charged with meaning and unarticulated wants.  It’s about restraint, not giving over.  Mo-wan and Li-zhen have been so devastated by their spouses’ betrayal that, despite their growing feelings for one another, they hold back the floodgates.  Their guiding mantra is “We won’t be like them,” and this emotionally-charged self-denial makes it the most understatedly sensual movie I’ve ever seen.

 

A big part of that is the flawless acting by Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Maggie Cheung.  Of their many collaborations I’ve seen, this is far and away the best, and that’s saying something.  They portray these reserved, sensitive individuals with such grace, and the tender connection between them is developed with exquisite care.  Both can speak volumes with their expressions and wonderfully handle the deep-running still waters of their characters.  Additionally, Wong Kar-wai’s direction drips with romance, and the evocative score, sublime costumes (oh my gosh, the costumes,) and thoughtful camera work are all impeccable.  Even among Wong’s other fine films, it’s in a league of its own; I am in love with this movie.

 

Warnings

 

Thematic elements, a little drinking, some language, and references to infidelity.