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Chinese Box

Play trailer Poster for Chinese Box R 1997 1h 40m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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67% Tomatometer 21 Reviews 54% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
During the last months of Britain's control of Hong Kong, journalist John (Jeremy Irons) discovers he has only a few months to live. He decides to use the time to pursue his friend Vivian (Gong Li), who is already engaged to another man. Realizing he has never truly engaged with Hong Kong in his 15 years there, John begins walking with a video camera, recording street life and interviewing people like street vendor Jean (Maggie Cheung), in an effort to capture the real Hong Kong before he dies.

Critics Reviews

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Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 01/01/2000
3/4
I have always been drawn toward stories of exile and expatriation, of people living as strangers in strange lands. I enjoy their bittersweet longing for other places and other friends. Go to Full Review Tom Meek Cambridge Day 07/15/2020
3.5/4
A jocular yet melancholy Rubén Blades tags along as Irons' sounding board, and Maggie Cheung delights and intrigues as a street performer. Go to Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com 10/10/2005
3/5
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 08/11/2005
4/5
Dragan Antulov rec.arts.movies.reviews 05/17/2004
4/10
Carol Cling Las Vegas Review-Journal 11/14/2003
4/5
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Audience Reviews

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william d @acsdoug 10/17/2020 Even the talent and beauty of Gong Li can't salvage this boring melodrama. See more adam b 10/14/2019 An amazing film that hit me deeply. A must see for Jeremy Iron fans See more a b 08/10/2019 Poignant story, if somewhat frustrating, and good actors. It does seem like more could happen, the film is almost more of a contemplation. I enjoyed it. See more 02/21/2014 another winner from one of my fave WORKING directors, Wayne Wang ('the joy luck club' and 'smoke' See more 03/08/2013 sexy movie but ultimately not one of jeremy irons best. the story is a little congusing but still worth watching. See more 05/01/2012 Boring (I mean, unwatchable) movie, from the beginning to the end. Jeremy Irons plays a tormented journalist who takes disgusting things and wants to know irrelevant stuff in order to publish. The DVD box suggests the movie is about a forbidden love between a single englishman and a married chinese woman. This could only happen during the last 15 minutes of the film. See more Read all reviews
Chinese Box

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Wayne Wang

Director

Jeremy Irons

John

Gong Li

Vivian

Maggie Cheung

Jean

Michael Hui

Chang

Rubén Blades

Jim

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Chinese Box

Chinese Box (1997) Chinese Box (1997) Chinese Box (1997) Chinese Box (1997) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis During the last months of Britain's control of Hong Kong, journalist John (Jeremy Irons) discovers he has only a few months to live. He decides to use the time to pursue his friend Vivian (Gong Li), who is already engaged to another man. Realizing he has never truly engaged with Hong Kong in his 15 years there, John begins walking with a video camera, recording street life and interviewing people like street vendor Jean (Maggie Cheung), in an effort to capture the real Hong Kong before he dies.
Director
Wayne Wang
Producer
Lydia Dean Pilcher, Jean-Louis Piel
Screenwriter
Jean-Claude Carrière
Production Co
Canal+, Pony Canyon Inc.
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 30, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA)
$2.2M
Runtime
1h 40m
Sound Mix
Surround