pretty but no soul
not his best but for a reason or many:
As any WKW fans know, he works without a script. Hence, this affects the Western actors. It may have translated well with his usual repertoire of actors who understand the madness but especially not the newly and cutey NJ, not so much there.
I dont think he is ready for a Western audience or talents in that matter. ANd reversely, I dont think the Western audience and actors are ready for his talents either.
THroughout the film I kept measuring every woman to Maggie Cheung. Even the harmonica is pulled from In the Mood for Love. I wonder if he is fixated on that images of her, so deep that he couldnt see anyone but her to play his female parts. All are brunette and with big eyes, except the fakey blond NP (but she is a gambler). In many ways looking so similar to each other. Not too much in ages either. It is like all the young girls are impressing themselves to be experienced women. Not much character polarizations. It seems like all of them are just one single character/woman.
Rachel Weiz is not a convincing Southern wife. SHe should have been blond and trashy. Too thin and european. The assistant writer is to blame. He is an AMerican? at least he should know how to translate this nor alot of the dialogue as how a gambler would talk or a cafe owner would talk or southern wife would talk...
NP follows right behind that for a city girl looking.
Nevermind JL, he is just another pretty face in this poorly translated film. His role should have been played by Takeshi Kaneshiro.
Imagine this same film with Tony Leung and WKW's usual cast in Hong Kong or anywhere, it would have worked just as well as In the Mood...
The film is too much on visual and not substance.
I figure this would be the case but i had to see it to see if i am wrong.
WKW is still one of my favorite Dir. He is trying, a stretch but still good to see him working. I would love to see this with Chinese talents instead. More mysterious and more on his ground...and none of the accents, typecasting or smugginess that we are or not accustomed to when WKW concerns...
sorry to repeat but i will make a new post from this...i am afraid my response will be buried in here...just want to see if anyone agrees to me is all...no troll hogs here..