In the Mood for Love

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In the Mood for Love

PG

Released Mar 9, 2001

1h 37m

Romance

Drama

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92%

Tomatometer

190 Reviews

94%

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50,000+ Ratings

In 1962, journalist Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) and his wife move into a Hong Kong apartment, but Chow's spouse is often away on business. Before long, the lonely Chow makes the acquaintance of the alluring Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung Man-yuk), whose own significant other also seems preoccupied with work. As the two friends realize their respective partners are cheating on them, they begin to fall for one another; however, neither wants to stoop to the level of the unfaithful spouses.

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Critics Consensus

An exquisitely shot showcase for Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung that marks a somber evolution of Wong Kar-wai's chic style, In the Mood for Love is a tantric tease that's liable to break your heart.

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Elvis Mitchell

New York Times

In the Mood for Love is probably the most breathtakingly gorgeous film of the year, dizzy with a nose-against-the-glass romantic spirit that has been missing from the cinema forever.

Jul 17, 2023

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Joe Morgenstern

Wall Street Journal

In the Mood for Love excites us with words not spoken, passions not played out. A mood story more than a love story, it's all about sustaining a state of exquisite melancholy in the face of desire.

Jul 15, 2023

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

If it is possible to find the erotic register of despair, or the romantic dimension of ennui, then Wong Kar-wai certainly achieves it in his new film.

Rated: 5/5

Jul 15, 2023

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Laney Gibbons

Loud and Clear Reviews

This cinematic achievement, which leaves a lasting effect on the spirit, reminds us of the tremendous depths of the human heart and the persistent appeal of what might have been.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 3, 2024

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Alan Jones

Radio Times

Sumptuously shot in tight corners, cramped corridors and tiny alleyways for maximum intimacy, the unspoken longing of the star-crossed lovers is both palpable and poignant, though the rushed ending somewhat undercuts the glorious build-up.

Rated: 5/5

Jul 31, 2024

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Joshua Polanski

Boston Hassle

The heterodox style collapses time on itself—prolonging the marital collapses of the two couples and expanding the potential for a union between [the two main characters].

Jul 9, 2024

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Spencer Nielsen

My favorite movie. A film whose aesthetic qualities are so intoxicating, it is the purpose of the narrative.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/19/25

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Audience Member

Pristine love is love never fully pursued. A stylized voyeuristic depiction of a romantic relationship that remains trapped in the budding phase by societal taboos. It has a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that pairs perfectly with the melancholic love story that is born and told through experimental editing. Every December Christmas pays royalty checks to Wong Kar-wai to use the red-green contrasting color pallet that he invented and perfected with this film. Kar-wai’s directing of the stunning Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Maggie Cheung results in some of the most beautiful shots ever put to film. It’s an entrancing experience that leaves the viewer with the weight of the entire lifecycle of a bittersweet relationship.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/12/25

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Bror Göran D

A boring movie. Nothing actually happened. The two characters are walking like cats around a hot pot.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

12/24/24

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Katia K

I spoke a secret the day after watching this movie. In doing so I’d opened up the door for the butterflies I’d held on to. They’re gone now and I miss the feeling

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/01/24

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Martona T

It's a visual spectacle, built up by fractions of spaces, silhouettes and situations. They strike with their beauty and add up to a complete story about feelings that are not allowed, but are inevitable. It is a sequence of impressions that lead the spectator very slowly through the fragments of everything that constitutes the two main characters'.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/10/24

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Fer S

It is good and the cinematography is beautiful, but it can be SO slow. People who are very fond of romance probably love it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/06/24

Full Review

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Kar-Wai Wong

Director

Tony Leung Chiu Wai

Chow Mo-wan

Maggie Cheung

Su Li-zhen

Kelly Lai Chen

Mr. Ho

Rebecca Pan

Mrs. Suen

Ping Lam Siu

Ah Ping

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Synopsis

In 1962, journalist Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) and his wife move into a Hong Kong apartment, but Chow's spouse is often away on business. Before long, the lonely Chow makes the acquaintance of the alluring Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung Man-yuk), whose own significant other also seems preoccupied with work. As the two friends realize their respective partners are cheating on them, they begin to fall for one another; however, neither wants to stoop to the level of the unfaithful spouses.

Director: Kar-Wai Wong
Producer: William Chang
Screenwriter: Kar-Wai Wong
Distributor: USA Films
Production Co: Block 2 Pictures, Paradis Film, Jet Tone Productions
Rating: PG (Thematic Elements|Brief Language)
Genre: Romance, Drama
Original Language: Chinese
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 9, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 15, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.7M
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.66:1)

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