Photo Credit ( Pixels )

Over the years, the movie In the Mood for Love has captured my attention and I can’t help but watch it again. Though I didn’t see this specific film in my undergraduate course on Contemporary Chinese Cinema, I was first exposed to Wong Kar-wai’s work through movies like Happy Together and Chungking Express years ago.

During the COVID lockdown, I viewed In the Mood for Love for the first time. With my Criterion subscription, I was able to see and discover vintage movies. I recently went back to see the movie and watched it for the fourth or fifth time while enjoying some homemade beef noodle soup, which was the ideal match for the movie.

Before returning to China, In the Mood for Love takes place in Hong Kong in the 1960s. Because their partners are away, Chow Mo-wan, a journalist, and Su Li-zhen, his new neighbor, often find themselves alone. They don’t really connect at first, but when they find out their partners are having an affair, they start looking into where it started.

Chow and Su become closer and start talking about their emotions as they spend more time together. The quiet, unsaid moments they share instead of overt displays of passion are how the physical tension in the film is portrayed.

Su is asked to accompany Chow after he receives a job offer in Singapore, but she gets there too late. In the epilogue, Chow visits Angkor Wat during the Vietnam War and whispers into a hollow wall, filling it with earth—a moving representation of unrealized potential and secrets kept hidden.

Thanks to Leung and Cheung’s subtle performances and its expert use of color, In the Mood for Love has a breathtaking visual aesthetic. The film’s subtle romance and sparse conversation only serve to highlight its beauty. Long after the credits have rolled, you’re still thinking about this movie.

It is highly recommended that you watch In the Mood for Love if you haven’t already. It’s hardly surprising that it’s still a favorite among many because of its depth and subtlety, which make it a timeless classic. For additional reviews and suggestions, follow me on Goodreads and Instagram.