In the Mood for Love (2000)

Two neighbors, a woman and a man, form a strong bond after both suspect extramarital activities of their spouses. However, they agree to keep their bond platonic so as not to commit similar wrongs.

Director:

Kar-Wai Wong (as Kar Wai Wong)

Writer:

Kar-Wai Wong (as Kar Wai Wong)

Stars:

Tony Chiu Wai Leung, Maggie Cheung, Ping Lam Siu

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 44 wins & 41 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Maggie Cheung	...	Su Li-zhen - Mrs. Chan
Tony Chiu Wai Leung	...	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
Szu-Ying Chien	...	Amah (as Tsi-Ang Chin)
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.

---

Plot Keywords:

infidelity | unfaithfulness | adultery | loneliness | newspaper | 

---

Taglines:

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

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements and brief language

Details

Official Sites:

Jet Tone Films Ltd [Hong Kong]

Country:

Hong Kong China

Language:

Cantonese Shanghainese French

Release Date:

9 March 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

In the Mood for Love

Filming Locations:

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£92,227 (UK) (27 October 2000)

Gross:

$2,734,044 (USA) (1 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

Director Kar-Wai Wong found the English title for "In the Mood for Love" while listening to a song from a Bryan Ferry CD with a similar title, "I'm in the Mood for Love". It is a cover of a 1930s song with the same title, Kar-Wai Wong used the title and the song in an early Hong Kong trailer of the film, and it was also used in the USA trailer of the film.

---

Goofs

At around 10:00, while they are using the rice cooker that Mr. Chan brought from his trip, Mrs. Chan's newspaper is inconsistently open/closed between shots.

---

Quotes

Chow Mo-wan: Feelings can creep up just like that. I thought I was in control.

---

Connections

Featured in Pirated Copy (2004)

---

Soundtracks

Hong Nian Hui Zhang Sheng
Performed by Zheng Jun Mian and Li Hang

User Reviews

A Beautiful, Melancholic and Romantic Love Story

In Hong Kong, 1962, the editor Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) and his wife, and the secretary Su Li-Zhen Chan (Maggie Cheung) and her husband simultaneously move to an old building. Each couple has just rented a room in apartments on the same floor. Their wife and husband stay most of the time away from home, and Chow and Li-Zhen have the same habits: they like kung-fu stories and noodles and soap from a restaurant nearby the building. Their close contact becomes friendship and a sort of platonic and repressed love. Later they realize that their mates are having an affair, Chow falls in love with Li-Zhen, but her shyness and probably repressed condition of married woman keeps her love in a platonic level. 'In the Mood for Love' is a very slow, beautiful, melancholic and romantic love story, with a wonderful photography and soundtrack and a very unusual edition. The film had not had a screenplay, and the actors were never sure about what they would be shooting. Later, the director edited his story based on the footages. When Chow moves to Singapore, there is a gap of many years in the story until 1966, when its conclusion is intentionally open and not well defined, leaving questions such as who is the boy with Li-Zhen. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): 'Amor À Flor da Pele' ('Love on the Surface of the Skin')