Edward Yang's film is bleak. If life, love and dying were this depressing, I'd wish to remain forever 8 years old. While there were a few poignant moments, these were few and far between, causing numerous people in the audience to leave before the touching conclusion three hours later. Most of the characters seemed to dread life, love, and the emotions that come with being human. And the women all seemed bent on destruction, sexually, spiritually, and emotionally. Breakdowns, crying fits, and indecision seem to plague these women with no sign of joy, humor, or compassion seeming to trickle into the cracks of their self-pitying prisons. Where are the redemptions, the creative sparks, and the connections with each other that keeps us alive? Only the young son and the Japanese software genius, Ota, seem to have a grasp of the beauty of giving something wondrous back to the world while also enjoying the pleasures and humor in life. Sorry to disagree with the majority of critics, but I can only recommend this film to foreign and art-house film lovers.
