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Chungking Express is about two police officers who fall in love with two very different women. The stories contrast to make a point about genuineness, maturity and our ability to love.
The first story centers on Officer 223 who has just gone through a breakup with his girlfriend May. Officer 223 (Takeshi Kaneshiro) is into superficial habits. We're treated to a hilarious sequence of phone calls when he's looking for a distraction from the breakup, in which he's shot down by women from his past where it becomes increasingly obvious he has no idea what is going on with these women.
In the end, he brushes past Faye - the heroine of story #2 - and goes to a bar where he meets a woman who is the essence of superficiality (Brigitte Lin). All we ever see of this woman is her wig, sunglasses and raincoat... and that murder she commits. Ironically, their meeting is a high point for both of them in real emotion, but of course it never amounts to anything.
At this point, we meet Faye, who works at Chungking Express (where Officer 223 is perpetually dodging introductions by the manager to nice girls). Faye is the cousin of the manager, working there to help him out, and dreaming of going to California. Faye falls in love at first sight with Officer 663 (Tony Leung). Both are quirky, warm, genuine people and to watch this film is to park ourselves in those opening moments of a relationship when you're loving every moment of getting to know a person.
Wong Kar-Wei is a filmmaker with a rare ability to create and sustain a mood. In Chungking Express, we're looking into the meeting of minds, when one person enters and begins to explore the psychological landscape of another person, leaving mementos and sometimes sprucing up the place... or flooding it. Taken literally, moments of this film seem a bit absurd, but as the externalization of thought and emotion, it's brilliant metaphor.
A remarkable cast, great music and some really nice cinematographic touches make this a real treat on every level. The only weakness in this film is that the first story, while much shorter than the second, is still a bit long. We don't get very invested in the characters, and it's mainly there for humorous contrast to story 2. Once we get to that though, it's true love.
9/10
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In the end, he brushes past Faye - the heroine of story #2 - and goes to a bar where he meets a woman who is the essence of superficiality (Brigitte Lin). All we ever see of this woman is her wig, sunglasses and raincoat... and that murder she commits. Ironically, their meeting is a high point for both of them in real emotion, but of course it never amounts to anything.
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A remarkable cast, great music and some really nice cinematographic touches make this a real treat on every level. The only weakness in this film is that the first story, while much shorter than the second, is still a bit long. We don't get very invested in the characters, and it's mainly there for humorous contrast to story 2. Once we get to that though, it's true love.
9/10