Chungking Express Movie Review 1995

Director Kar-wai presents two quirky tales of loneliness and love, loosely linked by a snack bar in the tourist section of Hong Kong. Cops and drugs are still a part of the storyline, but this is no chop-socky action movie. Both male protagonists are cops, identified only by their badge numbers, who have recently been dumped by their girlfriends. One has a fixation for canned pineapple and expiration dates, the other talks to the inanimate objects in his apartment. The women they eventually fall for are a blonde-wigged heroin dealer and a shy counter girl who bops to "California Dreaming" after breaking in and cleaning the cop's apartment without his knowledge. Shot commando-style in 23 days during the hiatus of Wong's "Ashes of Time" without permits or professional lighting. The high energy is reflected in the pacing and acting performances. Chosen by Quentin Tarantino as the first release of his Miramax-backed Rolling Thunder imprint.

Distribution

Miramax Film Corp., 8439 W Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069-1921, Phone: (323)650-2937, URL: http://www.miramax.com

Available on VHS
Running time 102 minutes.
Originally from Hong Kong.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Comedy Drama, Cops, Obsessive Love, Hong Kong

Screenplay

Wong Kar-Wai

Cast

Brigitte (Lin Ching-hsia) Lin, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Faye Wong, Valerie Chow, Piggy Chan

Cinematography

Christopher Doyle, Lau Wai-Keung

Director

Wong Kar-Wai

Music

Frankie Chan, Roel A. Garcia

Producer

Miramax Films