In The Mood For Love - Wellington Film Society

Wong Kar-Wai, Hong Kong 2000, 98 mins HD M

Hong Kong icons Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung, two of the most beautiful people on the planet, make such a natural pair that their unexplained attraction to each other can be simply accepted as a given. By fateful coincidence, they move into neighboring apartments in the same building on the same afternoon, soon discovering that their lives intersect in other, more significant ways. Neglected by their spouses, who are never seen, they foster a special kinship and spend a lot of time together, but social mores dictate that their relationship must be kept secret, even though it's strictly (if tenuously) platonic. Like other Wong films, In The Mood For Love captures the inherent alienation of city life, but in the process, he intensifies the romantic longing between the two characters. Their unrequited love, imposed by a society that subtly conspires to keep them apart, is so flush with emotion and possibility that it becomes the most vibrant shade in Wong's colorful palette. Further complemented by the gentle lull of Nat King Cole songs, In The Mood For Love casts a dreamy and melancholic spell that remains unbroken long after the closing credits have rolled.
– Scott Tobias, AV Club.