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 extramarital activities.

Director:

Kar Wai Wong

Writer:

Kar Wai Wong

Stars:

Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Ping Lam Siu

Top 250 #247 | 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 [Hong Kong]

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

During filming, Kar Wai Wong improvised often with the actors, crafting the story and mood of the film as he went along. Originally, "In the Mood for Love" was a much more obvious romance film, with the actors throwing witty dialog at each other and engaging in several scenes of love-making. Eventually, the actors and director decided to tone the mood down to the more subtle version that was released in theaters.

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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 Un heureux événement (2011)

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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

what a poetic way to make a film....

When I fist watched the movie, I said to myself, "so a film can be made like this." Wong Kar Wai's gorgeous poetic love story captured me throughout and even after the film. I must admit this is one of the best love movies, maybe the best of all, I have ever watched. The content and the form overlaps perfectly. As watching the secret love we see the characters in bounded frames that limits their movements as well as their feelings. Beautiful camera angles and the lighting makes the feelings and the blues even touchable. I want to congratulate Christopher Doyle and Pin Bing Lee for their fantastic cinematography which creates the mood for love. Also the music defines the sadness of the love which plays along the beautiful slow motion frames and shows the characters in despairing moods. And of course the performances of the actors which makes the love so real. Eventually, all the elements in the film combined in a perfect way under the direction of WKW and give the audience the feeling called love.