Chungking Express

DISCOVERY

Director: Wong Kar-Wai
Screenplay: Wong Kar-Wai
Production Co. : Mirimax/Rolling Thunder
Year of Release: 1994

Last night I was bored, so I decided to take a nice drive to Barnes and Noble where I got me a bitchin' copy of Don Quixote and the Criterion Edition Blu Ray of this film. I was largely intrigued by it's cover, and I had an itch to spend my cash. So I got it, stayed up late at night watching it (which I can only say compliments the film), woke up this morning and decided to write a review.
The flick is divided into two (almost episodic) narratives about cops who've been recently jilted, and are in the grieving process finding love in a lonely, reserved city on the brink of it's cultural identity's demise.
The key word here is 'identity'. The film focuses on not only a youthful generation's, but an entire society's identity (or lack of). It successfully combines film-noir thriller elements with tender oddball romance and the glue that holds it all together is the consistent feeling of dissatisfaction, distance and longing that derives from all of them, further cementing the film's theme of a mass identity crisis on multiple levels.
There's some really divine cinematography to be found within this film. It's grainy, artificial and motion blurred look really helps the film stand on it's legs (not that it needs any help to begin with) in terms of mood and atmosphere. The acting is pitch perfect, as is the dialogue. There's some really simple yet provocative lines of dialogue in the film, not exactly divine musings but they keep the film grounded in the reality of it's characters. If you're a big 'plot person', there isn't a terrible amount to be found in the way of plot development, so this may not be your bag. But, if you want to see a gorgeously shot, witty, bubbly and quirky yet despairing and melancholic film that captures the voice of a generation, a society in peril and/or anyone that's ever felt just a little bit lonely, then rent/buy/steal this movie. I really don't have much bad to say about it. But trust me, you'll never feel the same about The Mama's And The Papa's song 'California Dreamin', canned pineapple, rain or chef's salads again.

Overall rating: 9.2
Mega Awesum