'2046' is Kar Wai Wong's follow-up to his acclaimed film 'In The Mood For Love,' which I haven't seen. In both films, the character of Chow Mo Wan is played by Tony Leung, and he is brilliant in this. The title of the film holds a special significance for several reasons. From what I gathered, it was the room that Chow and Su Li Zhen (Maggie Cheung) shared in 'In The Mood For Love;' in this film, Chow occupies a room number 2047, though the women that enter his life and his heart often reside across the hall at 2046. When Chow attempts to write a science-fiction novel, he names it "2046," the title referring to the year to which many time travelers return to recapture lost memories. Politically, the year 2046 represents the final year before Hong Kong's self-regulatory handover status comes to an end. This, of course, is no accident.
'2046' is essentially a story of Chow Mo Wan's love life, and how he uses his science-fiction writing to understand things about his own existence. Various beautiful women enter and exit his life, brief but meaningful entries into Chow's memories. He wishes to fall into love with these women, but there is already a women that he loves, and he can't have her. When he articulates all this into a new story, entitled '2047,' the women he sends it to, Wang Jing Wen (played by Faye Wong), requests that he change the ending of the story to make it more uplifting and optimistic. Chow sits still, his pen just centimetres from the paper, for approximately one hundred hours, either physically unable to change the ending, or simply unsure how to. His own life is dictated in this story - how could he possibly change it?
The acting is very good in this film, especially considering that each actor apparently spoke their own native languages on screen, even when in conversation with one another. Tony Leung, as mentioned earlier, is brilliant in his role. The three beautiful women who form the emotional core of the film are played stunningly by Li Gong, Faye Wong and Ziyi Zhang.
Not very much happens in '2046.' The film is deliberately slow-paced and most scenes are set indoors under soft lighting. Any outdoor scenes play out at night, under harsh neon lighting, or perhaps amidst a downfall of rain. I did not find this to be an uplifting film, by any means. It tells a story of ups and downs, and of a constant pursuit for answers and happiness that may (but probably won't) be discovered. In fact, I found the film quite depressing. But it is simply so damn beautiful to look at that I didn't particularly care.
'2046' is essentially a story of Chow Mo Wan's love life, and how he uses his science-fiction writing to understand things about his own existence. Various beautiful women enter and exit his life, brief but meaningful entries into Chow's memories. He wishes to fall into love with these women, but there is already a women that he loves, and he can't have her. When he articulates all this into a new story, entitled '2047,' the women he sends it to, Wang Jing Wen (played by Faye Wong), requests that he change the ending of the story to make it more uplifting and optimistic. Chow sits still, his pen just centimetres from the paper, for approximately one hundred hours, either physically unable to change the ending, or simply unsure how to. His own life is dictated in this story - how could he possibly change it?
The acting is very good in this film, especially considering that each actor apparently spoke their own native languages on screen, even when in conversation with one another. Tony Leung, as mentioned earlier, is brilliant in his role. The three beautiful women who form the emotional core of the film are played stunningly by Li Gong, Faye Wong and Ziyi Zhang.
Not very much happens in '2046.' The film is deliberately slow-paced and most scenes are set indoors under soft lighting. Any outdoor scenes play out at night, under harsh neon lighting, or perhaps amidst a downfall of rain. I did not find this to be an uplifting film, by any means. It tells a story of ups and downs, and of a constant pursuit for answers and happiness that may (but probably won't) be discovered. In fact, I found the film quite depressing. But it is simply so damn beautiful to look at that I didn't particularly care.