(The Weinstein Company)
Runtime: 111 Min
I love Blueberry pie and this film tries to give you the magical healing powers of Blueberry pies to any sadness you have. As Wong Kar Wai’s first English language film, this is as stylish as his previous works and echoes the Chungking Express/In the Mood for Love formula (Broken heart, a melancholic policeman and catchy tunes) plus his trademark of inserting scenes of trains, clocks and neon lights to give the visual mood.
Norah Jones fills the title role, she is a singer, but can she act? Appearantly she can.
I have read the reviews which stated that this film wasn’t as good as Wai’s previous films, but I dare to disagree. Perhaps those reviewers (mostly American) cannot understand how broken heart and melancholy seen from Asian perspective or perhaps Wai just doesn’t want to bother translating it into an American style of lost love.
Elizabeth (Norah Jones) was shocked after having been dumped by longtime boyfriend.
Still hurt and absorbing the usual Denial-Anger–Acceptance phase
A hushed kiss is a sign of desperation from Jeremy, and he becomes more desperate as Elizabeth suddenly gone on a soul searching journey as a bartender and waitress where she meets an alcoholic cop, Arnie (David Strathairn), whose sepearation from Sue Lynne (Rachel Weisz), proven to be devastative and Leslie (Natalie Portman) an energetic girl with an estrange father daughter relationship plus a gambling addict. Predictably, Leslie and Elizabeth find they have something to learn from one another.
As road movie, there were less than few long shots, the shots were mainly indoors. It seems Wai doesn’t use the usual long shots in every road movie because the road is inside the soul, not on the streets. Unlike Chungking Express with an open ending, this one pleases the crowd with good wrappings in the end.
Overall, I like the mood of this film. Perhaps for non-art movies fans, this film is challenging to comprehend.
No comments:
Post a Comment