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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Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

190 Reviews

94%

Popcornmeter

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

Full Review

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

Absolute cinematic eye candy! Wong Kar Wai's "In the Mood for Love" will have the audience sinking in their seats and their focus balancing on the edge of a cliff. With two powerhouse leads softly and gently delivering betrayal and the heartbreak of what should have been, this work in cinema will shatter all those who watch it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/18/25

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LABEL 2

导演特别版。无处不在的墙壁与门窗一方面有形地限制了角色的生活空间、制造出二人或合或散的距离，另一方面则无声地指示着社会的规训与关系发展的有限。用预演体会陌生的情感、用武侠小说构筑短暂的连接，电话连线让私密触碰公共、同处一室却被“公共”阻断了私密，最终在动荡与变革到来前将内心封存于时间中、投向不远的未来——如此便架起了新旧勾连的桥。二十多年过去，“新关系”变旧，而泛黄的“旧感情”似乎又闪亮起来了。

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/17/25

Full Review

zit m

剧情拍mv都凑不够五分钟。导演极其私人的产物，不知所云。

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/16/25

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Rex W

The rave reviews on the first couple of pages appear to be planted by people with an agenda. No way in hell do I believe that the average movie-goer wrote all of these rave reviews. People don't usually care about poetic camera work, cinematography, exotic music, and artsy dialog. This movie didn't say much, and it didn't tell the story well. Disappointing and overrated.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/23/25

Full Review

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

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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