In the Mood for Love (2000)
Fa yeung nin wa (original title)

A man and a woman move in to neighboring Hong Kong apartments and form a bond when they both suspect their spouses of extra-marital activities.

Director:

Kar Wai Wong

Writer:

Kar Wai Wong

Stars:

Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Ping Lam Siu

Top 250 #245 | Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 35 wins & 23 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Maggie Cheung	...	Su Li-zhen - Mrs. Chan
Tony Leung Chiu Wai	...	Chow Mo-wan
Ping Lam Siu	...	Ah Ping
Tung Cho 'Joe' Cheung	...	Man living in Mr. Koo's apartment
Rebecca Pan	...	Mrs. Suen
Kelly Lai Chen	...	Mr. Ho (as Lai Chen)
Man-Lei Chan	...	Mr. Koo
Tsi-Ang Chin	...	Amah
Roy Cheung	...	Mr. Chan (voice)
Paulyn Sun	...	Mrs. Chow (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Po-chun Chow
Kam-wah Koo
Hsien Yu

Storyline

Set in Hong Kong, 1962, Chow Mo-Wan is a newspaper editor who moves into a new building with his wife. At the same time, Su Li-zhen, a beautiful secretary and her executive husband also move in to the crowded building. With their spouses often away, Chow and Li-zhen spend most of their time together as friends. They have everything in common from noodle shops to martial arts. Soon, they are shocked to discover that their spouses are having an affair. Hurt and angry, they find comfort in their growing friendship even as they resolve not to be like their unfaithful mates.

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Plot Keywords:

Hong Kong | Newspaper | Coincidence | Apartment | Moving In | 

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Taglines:

Feel the heat, keep the feeling burning, let the sensation explode.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements and brief language

Details

Official Sites:

Jet Tone Films Ltd [hk]

Country:

Hong Kong France

Language:

Cantonese Shanghainese French

Release Date:

29 September 2000 (Hong Kong)

Also Known As:

In the Mood for Love

Filming Locations:

Cambodia

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$113,280 (USA) (2 February 2001)

Gross:

ESP 125,406,499 (Spain) (29 June 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Block 2 Pictures, Jet Tone Production, Paradis Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filming was shifted from Beijing to Macau after Chinese authorities demanded to see the completed script. The director never uses scripts.

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Goofs

Before Su Li-zhen bestowed her landlady with a electric rice cooker, there already was one sitting on the kitchen counter in an earlier scene.

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Quotes

Su Li-zhen Chan: You notice things if you pay attention.

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Connections

Referenced in My Wife Is 18 (2002)
Poster of the movie is in the film.

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Soundtracks

"Quizás, Quizás, Quizás"
Written by Osvaldo Farrés
Performed by Nat 'King' Cole
Publisher: Southern Music Publishing Co., Inc. (Peermusic (SE Asia) Ltd.)
Courtesy of Capitol Records
Under License From EMI - Capitol Music Special Markets

User Reviews

Moody Mis-en-scene

The most attractive factor that lies in this masterpiece of a film is not the beautiful lead actors. It isn't their outstanding acting and sizzling chemistry either.

To me, it is the mis-en-scene of the entire movie. The settings, the lighting, the props... all add to the mood for love between the main characters. A whiff of smoke from Chow's cigarette tells us his state of mind, the ever-changing tight-fitting cheongsams of Lizhen reflects the constraints of decision-making, the ruins of Angkor Wat ties in with the deteriorating relationship of the two leads.

The excellent use of mis-en-scene gives the film just the right amount of feel needed to flesh out the complicated nature of the characters' relationship. The film leaves the audience fruitlessly yearning for more.