A few days ago, I saw a film that completely mesmerized me. The amount of cinematic style, finesse and overall enjoyment I experienced while viewing it helped me come to the conclusion that it was one of my new favorite movies. The film I saw is probably not very popular, since it is not an action flick or historical drama released in American cinemas this year. In fact, it was released 17 years ago. The film is a Hong Kong movie made in 1994 called “Chungking Express.”
Directed by Wong Kar-wai, “Chungking Express” can be described as a poetic tale of two pairs of lovers in failing relationships. The first part of the movie stars Takeshi Kaneshiro as He Zhiwu, a cop who recently was dumped by a woman named May, his girlfriend of five years. In an effort to cope, he buys cans of pineapples every day during the month since she left him. He insists that all the cans must expire on May first, hoping by that date she will return to him.
The second section of the film follows the life of Cop 633, played by acclaimed actor Tony Leung Chiu Wai, after his breakup with an airline attendant. Every day during his lunch break, he visits an outdoor fast food restaurant, where a young and eccentric employee named Faye (played by Faye Wong) immediately falls for him. The two form an odd relationship, highlighted by Faye’s unconventional actions due to the pair’s miscommunications.
The film is narrated by the main character on screen at the time, whether it is He, Cop 633, each of their ex-girlfriends or Faye. The narration is always introspective and intimate, and not once feels superficial. I have never encountered such brilliant dialogue in a film before, with standout lines such as, “We're all unlucky in love sometimes. When I am, I go jogging. The body loses water when you jog, so you have none left for tears.” There are countless other quips in the film that are sure to make you both think and smile. The strong dialogue makes the characters seem like real humans, not just actors in a film.
This type of intimacy and realism is rare in many current Hollywood films. In“Chungking Express,” there are no plot twists, no action sequences and no attempts to please the audience with unbelievable drama or fairytale-like romance, but just pure cinematic poetry. If the questions, “Where exactly is the plot going?” or “When is the action going to happen?” pop into your head while watching this film, I advise you not to turn off your DVD player. The beauty of this film comes from its universal and relatable occurrences to which nearly everyone can connect. I’m not saying that in order for a movie to be brilliant it should be free of extraordinary drama and action to be more realistic, because if that were the case, the world of film would be flooded with Wong Kar-wai’s, and there would be no options. Fortunately, there are endless cinematic options waiting for you to experience. Variety is key when searching for great movies to watch, and “Chungking Express” oozes with variety, ranging from its philosophical narration to its repetition of particular songs to create a stylish atmosphere.
Though it is not guaranteed to suit everyone’s tastes, I recommend you challenge yourself and watch this film, which is available at Belk Library. Before you know it, maybe you’ll be watching all of Wong Kar-Wai’s gorgeous films.