DVD Review: Chungking Express (B+)

Chungking Express (1994)
Directed by Wong Kar-Wai
Starring Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Faye Wong and Brigitte Lin
MPAA: PG-13
Grade: B+

Review by Scott Standish

This was the film that really broke talented director Wong Kar Wai into the U.S. market and it holds up pretty well nine years after its inital release. Chungking Express tells two stories of love and longing in the streets of Hong Kong. A third story (originally intended for this film) was saved and expanded into what would become Fallen Angels, Wong Kar-Wai's masterpiece from 1995.

The first part of Chungking Express focuses on Cop 223, a young man who has just broken up with his girlfriend of five years. He decides that he will eat a can of pineapples with the same expiration date for one month, and if she doesn't come back to him, then it wasn't meant to be. Takeshi Kaneshiro as Cop 223 is quite amusing, he does a great job of showing the oddball characteristics, and Waird rationalizations that jilted lovers come up with. Sad, but funny at times, this love story has lots of energy. Brigitte Linn also plays "Woman In Wig" who deals with a drug transaction gone wrong. Needless to say, this scenario is a complex mix of comedy, action and sadness.

The second part of Chungking Express concerns another cop in the streets of Hong Kong, Cop 663. He visits the same snack bar every night on his route, and a subtle romance starts to brew between the cop and the snack counter girl. She becomes obsessive about the police officer and starts to cross the line between crush and stalking. Again, the director takes a strange situation (obsessing over someone, and violating their space) but makes it slightly humorous and almost natural.

One of Asia's biggest singing stars Faye Wong plays the love interest of Cop 663, and she is fantastic. She blasts California Dreamin' on her boombox, breaks into people's apartments, and boldy does pretty much whatever she wants. Faye is charming in this movie and is definitely someone that American audiences should keep an eye on.

Wong Kar-Wai is without a doubt one of the best filmmakers in the world today and this movie is one of his best. All of his films use beautiful color combinations to convey emotion, handheld camera work to create immediacy with the characters, and slow motion camerawork to help distort reality when necessary. If you enjoy this movie, definitely check out Fallen Angels, one of my favorites.

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