After we left the theater on Tuesday, my sweetie made an interesting observation: Jackie Chan is the only Chinese filmmaker allowed to make a movie with a happy ending.
Not to say that Lust, Caution wasn't lush, beautiful and engaging -- just that it's kind of a downer.
The story of a naive college girl who gets mixed up in the resistance to the Japanese occupation of China, this story is drenched in espionage, fear and tension. Wang's circle of friends goes from putting on patriotic plays to deciding to kill a Chinese collaborator almost as a summer lark.
They have absolutely no idea what they're getting into, and after they insert Wang into Mr. Yee's circle (where she plays the role of a bored housewife) they're at a loss of what to do.
And while there has been a lot of talk among reviewers about the graphic sex scenes (and they are pretty damn graphic) I found the scenes where Wang is "broken in" by a friend and the murder of Yee's employee to have been far more disturbing.
The sex scenes between Wang and Yee, in contrast, are full of lust and emotion, but they're a battle between them. They love one another and hate one another at the same time. When they're having sex, it is the only time they can be alive, without fear or caution.
And the rare scenes where Yee drops his guard and reveals his human side (in the brothel, when he gives Wang the ring) are the best in the film. He may be a seemingly powerful government minister, but he's as trapped and exploited as Wang is.
Director Ang Lee lays the souls of his characters bare, unfolding their lives like flower petals. It's beautiful and heartbreaking.
No comments:
Post a Comment