First off, on a visceral level this film hit all cylinders, making this one of the best films I’ve seen.
There’s so much to unpack, so much to analyse, but beyond all of this this film really encapsulates the both the feeljngs of the early stages of love, and also that of fear induced stress, helplessness, and the anger and sadness that derive from betrayal.
To a certain level, my ability to comprehend and relate to the feeling these characters had makes this film feel more personal that that of most.
The use of colour, framing (keeping the protagonists in tight outlines in most scenes), points of view of the camera (as if we’re peering into their private lives), music, pathetic fallacy, making specific shot references (such as to the hands with the marriage rings prominent), and the ability to scrape out everything unessential and distracting (such as the faces and actions of their respective spouses) all come together in practically a near perfect way.
I could go on for a very long time about this, but if anything this gave me a refreshed feeling of animosity toward social norms (or the fear of what such norms may bring) and the sense of being aware of opportunities and know when to push a boundary beyond your comfort zone to possibly make a reality something that would otherwise only be a dream.
The fact that something that could’ve been so beautiful never got to be, despite so many opportunities, and the feelings associated with that, is what makes this film so tragically beautiful.
Wong Kar-Wai’s films have so far served for me to be powerful mirrors into my surrounding society, who I associate myself with and most importantly, who I really am and want to be.
