Huge fan of the director here.
I can really understand how some people hate this.
WKW is an acquired taste to begin with, but then he had to go and make an "American" film. As oft the case, the foreign director here hires a musician/non-film-star, probably thinking it would be hip. It features a lot of her music anyway, right? It's just weird seeing Wong Kar Wai in English, and with known Hollywood stars. We're too busy star-gazing at Jude Law and Norah Jones to really appreciate the visual delights of the film.
The script here is extremely stale, and the acting not much better. The only real treat comes later in the film with the introduction of Natalie Portman's character. Her character is the only character with any depth, and same goes for her performance. She saved this film for me.
I wouldn't recommend this to anyone except those who like or are starting to get into Wong Kar Wai's films.
Visually, it's just a stunning film surrounded by boring(for the most part, save Portman) characters. The film really looks fantastic. I get the sense there were some cultural hurdles here that presented problems. It might have been hard for the director to sense the quality of the line delivery, and perhaps casting could have been influenced in the same way. There was something that just didn't work with the story here. Fans of the director are use to having to read further into what this director is trying to convey, but here, the mind lacks that journey.
The film also lacks the occasional shock-value usually present in the director's films. There's a small attempt made with a little subplot starring David Straithairn and Rachel Weisz. They should have played the lead roles - it would have made this film a little better.
So this definitely has 'the look', but lacks the intrigue.
63/100
I can really understand how some people hate this.
WKW is an acquired taste to begin with, but then he had to go and make an "American" film. As oft the case, the foreign director here hires a musician/non-film-star, probably thinking it would be hip. It features a lot of her music anyway, right? It's just weird seeing Wong Kar Wai in English, and with known Hollywood stars. We're too busy star-gazing at Jude Law and Norah Jones to really appreciate the visual delights of the film.
The script here is extremely stale, and the acting not much better. The only real treat comes later in the film with the introduction of Natalie Portman's character. Her character is the only character with any depth, and same goes for her performance. She saved this film for me.
I wouldn't recommend this to anyone except those who like or are starting to get into Wong Kar Wai's films.
Visually, it's just a stunning film surrounded by boring(for the most part, save Portman) characters. The film really looks fantastic. I get the sense there were some cultural hurdles here that presented problems. It might have been hard for the director to sense the quality of the line delivery, and perhaps casting could have been influenced in the same way. There was something that just didn't work with the story here. Fans of the director are use to having to read further into what this director is trying to convey, but here, the mind lacks that journey.
The film also lacks the occasional shock-value usually present in the director's films. There's a small attempt made with a little subplot starring David Straithairn and Rachel Weisz. They should have played the lead roles - it would have made this film a little better.
So this definitely has 'the look', but lacks the intrigue.
63/100