GREAT LINES:

He Zhiwu, Cop 223: If memories could be canned, would they also have expiry dates?

If so, I hope they last for centuries.

. .

Director Wong made a strong international impression with his loosely linked tales of two cops looking for love in Hong Kong. The first cop, played by Takeshi Kaneshiro, pines for the woman who recently dumped him, setting himself a deadline to find a new love that he measures by the expiration date on cans of pineapple. He is attracted to a mysterious woman in a blond wig who seems to be involved in drug dealing. But just as we think we will follow this couple, another take the stage. A second cop (Tony Leung) eats at the same lunchstand as Kaneshiro every day, called the Chungking Express. There he meets a waitress named Faye (the amazing Faye Wong), who longs to be part of his life. So much so that when the opportunity arises she steals his keys and starts sneaking into his apartment; cleaning and even redecorating. As astoundingly inattentive as the cop is not to notice this invasion, we know Faye will eventually get caught. The director’s intensely kinetic style, which quick cuts, bursts of color, and occasional sudden jumps, might be unsettling to those who want a traditional linear story. Not so much about story as about emotions, mood, and character, Chungking Express nevertheless manages to give vigilant viewers a stylishly enjoyable ride, giving up more of its secrets with each viewing.

Check the BPL catalog for this title: Chungking Express