In the Mood for Love

In the Mood for Love by Wong Kar-wai takes the audience on a journey to a more deep and emotional connection. The audience is persuaded to empathize with Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan as they navigate through their feeling of heartbreak due to the adultery of their spouses, but also through their feeling of creating a new relationship with each other. In the Mood for Love fits in as almost typical hollywood cinema film to me in my perspective of it. Wong uses cinematic language, mise en scene, cinematography, color and music to put us in a suspenseful and sensual state throughout the duration of the film. Questions such as “Are they together? Do they have feelings for each other? Will they get married? Do they end up with each other?” rose in my head constantly throughout the film. One of the most interesting aspects that I feel separated Wong from many other directors is his use of different angles and shots when displaying conversations. In the specific example of when Mrs. Chan and Mr. Chow both find out that their spouses are cheating on them in the hotel, Wong uses these types of unusual shots by using a mirror reflection on Mrs. Chan and hoping we understand that her and Mr. Chow are both in the room without actually displaying that with the camera. Overall, I feel as if Wong successfully intrigued me through his many techniques and made me feel exactly what he was hoping I would feel, considering I am interested in watching his sequel to In the Mood for Love, 2046.