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US Mall 1 - Happy Together
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List Price: $19.95
Our Price: $12.96
Your Save: $ 6.99 ( 35% )
Availability:
Manufacturer: Kino Video
Starring: Leslie Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Chen Chang, Gregory Dayton, Shirley Kwan
Directed By: Kar Wai Wong
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9786305074014
Format: Color
ISBN: 6304345631
Label: Kino Video
Manufacturer: Kino Video
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Kino Video
Release Date: 2001-11-06
Running Time: 96
Studio: Kino Video
Theatrical Release Date: 1997
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: artistic, exotic, intoxicating...
Comment: i watched this film many years ago, and had recently seen it again with new eyes-- so to speak. it is a great film; artistic, exotic and intoxicating. the colors are great; moody, and on point with the story. i love the way the director (wong kar-wai) has weaved these colors into a present character in the film.
it is very exotic in the sense that it tells the story that should be strange but is the everyday. here is a couple that is a true opposites; one hoping for a normal life, the other on a destructive path. you just can't help but get entangled in the lives of these two men in far away land, trying to rekindle their relationship.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Unhappy Viewing
Comment: As a gay Asian man, I always anticipate a gay Asian film that steers away from the cliche subjects of pimps and hustlers and young men involved with older men for purely economic reasons. It's refreshing that the two lovers in "Happy Together" are supposed to be involved with each other for love. The problem with "Happy Together" is that their love is never depicted. For the duration of the film, the viewer is presented with a melange of arguments, fights, and temporary separations that ultimately lead to the final break-up. What binds this couple when it seems that both men - from beginning to end - loathe each other more so than love? No doubt "Happy Together" is a finely shot film. However, the lingering question of "What the hell?" far outweighs the film's glossiness. And when the credits roll, the viewer is left with no sense of a redeeming quality for having sat through this ordeal.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Unhappily Apart
Comment: Viewing this film was like watching the Tango! Leslie Cheung and Tony Leung were absolutely mesmerizing as lovers who exist in a state of conflict, constantly estranged from their homeland, their loved-ones and each other. The ending was heartrending (no surprise), but I found the interaction between the couple to be pure comedy. The situations that each character found himself in were anything but funny, however, the ups and downs in their relationship were so realistic that I couldn't help but laugh at how insane love can be.
Regardless of race, class, gender, culture, sexual orientation and even geography, this movie will serve as a love letter to anyone who has the misfortune of being madly in love with the one person on earth who drives them nuts. Those of us fitting this description will find many confirmations (but no comfort) in Yiu-Fai and Po-Wing's story: I identified with Yiu-Fai when he stated that Po-Wing's illness was actually the time when they were the happiest together. One of my female friends recently recounted an instance similar to the one in the film, when her ex-husband wanted her to get out of bed and cook dinner, even though she was suffering from a severe cold. Moreover, the story paints a vivid portrait of long-term relationships as swaying perilously between states of codependence, complacency and claustrophobia.
If I had to decide on a letter grade, though, I would have to give the movie an, "A-" instead of an, "A" because I was hoping that Leslie Cheung would not be confined to the typical "doomed drama-queen" role. Ironically, the story explores individual, national and global identity when, throughout the cinema world, one is hard pressed to find performers who rival Tony Leung's depth and Leslie Cheung's range. Despite his hallmark androgyny, I personally believe that Cheung could play Rambo convincingly! The universal nature of the story was also threatened by its stereotypical depiction of gay life (not all gay relationships are violent and not all gay people are promiscuous). I think the film's core message could have been conveyed just as successfully without the use of hackneyed scenarios. Fortunately, the amazing soundtrack and the breathtaking cinematography more than made up for any flaws.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Unrealistic amount of violence, but very moving depiction of gay love
Comment: I will not review the plot, as others have already adequately described it.
This film is in one respect something of a throwback to 60's gay films, where any two men in love had to be portrayed as constantly tearing each other to pieces. Needless to say, this is not true to life, and is also implicitly homophobic.
However, oddly enough, this movie ALSO provides one of the most realistic, convincing descriptions of gay love ever filmed. The two leads, when they are not fighting, are COMFORTABLE with showing overwhelming emotions of love and empathy towards each other, that one just does not find in Western films on the subject, where gay lovers are typically playful or comradely in a jaunty sort of way, or even passionately drawn to each other, but never... well, never really IN LOVE. Men in love are not continuously dramatic about their love either, or political, etc, but are just obviously fixated on each other, and eager to be with each other, and physically close to each other, and this film captures that really well.
The tragedy of their relationship is simply that Bo-Wing, the more passive partner, needs a lot more (passive) sex and adventure than Liu Fai is inclined to give him, and repeatedly leaves his lover in the lurch for some exciting new boyfriend.
But Bo-Wing actually loves Liu Fai at least as much as Liu Fai loves him, so their relationship is fraught with tension, and seems doomed to fail. In this situation, part, but not all, of the violence, is justified, and is not just a device to suggest that it is 'unnatural' that men should love one another.
One minor flaw is that Bo-Wing, who in real life would probably be at least a little effeminate, is really no more effeminate than his boyfriend in this film.
The film is also unusually effective because of the Chinese language itself, which because of its tonal, almost musical sound, lets really great actors get a lot more effect out of even quite ordinary phrases than is possible in a language like English, where everything tends toward a flat monotone, especially in American English.
Like almost all films since the beginning of the art form, there is too much focus on the private lives of people, and not enough on their inner mental lives. No one reads a book or discusses anything intellectual or recites poetry here, but perhaps this is not to be expected in a film about drifters.
I, like many other reviewers here, find myself looking at this film again and again, and liking it a little better every time I see it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Loving Movie
Comment: I enjoy this movie since seeing it first time at premier.
Yes, there is not so much pornography (See "Quiet Days in Cluchy" or many other g-stuff, "Frisco", for instance), which makes this work classic forever.
I would rate it higher than "Backbroke Mountain" if even no international award was suggested.
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Editorial Reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: artistic, exotic, intoxicating...
Comment: i watched this film many years ago, and had recently seen it again with new eyes-- so to speak. it is a great film; artistic, exotic and intoxicating. the colors are great; moody, and on point with the story. i love the way the director (wong kar-wai) has weaved these colors into a present character in the film.
it is very exotic in the sense that it tells the story that should be strange but is the everyday. here is a couple that is a true opposites; one hoping for a normal life, the other on a destructive path. you just can't help but get entangled in the lives of these two men in far away land, trying to rekindle their relationship.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Unhappy Viewing
Comment: As a gay Asian man, I always anticipate a gay Asian film that steers away from the cliche subjects of pimps and hustlers and young men involved with older men for purely economic reasons. It's refreshing that the two lovers in "Happy Together" are supposed to be involved with each other for love. The problem with "Happy Together" is that their love is never depicted. For the duration of the film, the viewer is presented with a melange of arguments, fights, and temporary separations that ultimately lead to the final break-up. What binds this couple when it seems that both men - from beginning to end - loathe each other more so than love? No doubt "Happy Together" is a finely shot film. However, the lingering question of "What the hell?" far outweighs the film's glossiness. And when the credits roll, the viewer is left with no sense of a redeeming quality for having sat through this ordeal.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Unhappily Apart
Comment: Viewing this film was like watching the Tango! Leslie Cheung and Tony Leung were absolutely mesmerizing as lovers who exist in a state of conflict, constantly estranged from their homeland, their loved-ones and each other. The ending was heartrending (no surprise), but I found the interaction between the couple to be pure comedy. The situations that each character found himself in were anything but funny, however, the ups and downs in their relationship were so realistic that I couldn't help but laugh at how insane love can be.
Regardless of race, class, gender, culture, sexual orientation and even geography, this movie will serve as a love letter to anyone who has the misfortune of being madly in love with the one person on earth who drives them nuts. Those of us fitting this description will find many confirmations (but no comfort) in Yiu-Fai and Po-Wing's story: I identified with Yiu-Fai when he stated that Po-Wing's illness was actually the time when they were the happiest together. One of my female friends recently recounted an instance similar to the one in the film, when her ex-husband wanted her to get out of bed and cook dinner, even though she was suffering from a severe cold. Moreover, the story paints a vivid portrait of long-term relationships as swaying perilously between states of codependence, complacency and claustrophobia.
If I had to decide on a letter grade, though, I would have to give the movie an, "A-" instead of an, "A" because I was hoping that Leslie Cheung would not be confined to the typical "doomed drama-queen" role. Ironically, the story explores individual, national and global identity when, throughout the cinema world, one is hard pressed to find performers who rival Tony Leung's depth and Leslie Cheung's range. Despite his hallmark androgyny, I personally believe that Cheung could play Rambo convincingly! The universal nature of the story was also threatened by its stereotypical depiction of gay life (not all gay relationships are violent and not all gay people are promiscuous). I think the film's core message could have been conveyed just as successfully without the use of hackneyed scenarios. Fortunately, the amazing soundtrack and the breathtaking cinematography more than made up for any flaws.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Unrealistic amount of violence, but very moving depiction of gay love
Comment: I will not review the plot, as others have already adequately described it.
This film is in one respect something of a throwback to 60's gay films, where any two men in love had to be portrayed as constantly tearing each other to pieces. Needless to say, this is not true to life, and is also implicitly homophobic.
However, oddly enough, this movie ALSO provides one of the most realistic, convincing descriptions of gay love ever filmed. The two leads, when they are not fighting, are COMFORTABLE with showing overwhelming emotions of love and empathy towards each other, that one just does not find in Western films on the subject, where gay lovers are typically playful or comradely in a jaunty sort of way, or even passionately drawn to each other, but never... well, never really IN LOVE. Men in love are not continuously dramatic about their love either, or political, etc, but are just obviously fixated on each other, and eager to be with each other, and physically close to each other, and this film captures that really well.
The tragedy of their relationship is simply that Bo-Wing, the more passive partner, needs a lot more (passive) sex and adventure than Liu Fai is inclined to give him, and repeatedly leaves his lover in the lurch for some exciting new boyfriend.
But Bo-Wing actually loves Liu Fai at least as much as Liu Fai loves him, so their relationship is fraught with tension, and seems doomed to fail. In this situation, part, but not all, of the violence, is justified, and is not just a device to suggest that it is 'unnatural' that men should love one another.
One minor flaw is that Bo-Wing, who in real life would probably be at least a little effeminate, is really no more effeminate than his boyfriend in this film.
The film is also unusually effective because of the Chinese language itself, which because of its tonal, almost musical sound, lets really great actors get a lot more effect out of even quite ordinary phrases than is possible in a language like English, where everything tends toward a flat monotone, especially in American English.
Like almost all films since the beginning of the art form, there is too much focus on the private lives of people, and not enough on their inner mental lives. No one reads a book or discusses anything intellectual or recites poetry here, but perhaps this is not to be expected in a film about drifters.
I, like many other reviewers here, find myself looking at this film again and again, and liking it a little better every time I see it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Loving Movie
Comment: I enjoy this movie since seeing it first time at premier.
Yes, there is not so much pornography (See "Quiet Days in Cluchy" or many other g-stuff, "Frisco", for instance), which makes this work classic forever.
I would rate it higher than "Backbroke Mountain" if even no international award was suggested.
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