Chinese Box (1997)

Multi-layered stories can be very interesting films, provided that the viewer can actually understand everything. Unfortunately, Wayne Wang's "Chinese Box" does not make clear all of the pieces of this film.The film centers around John (Jeremy Irons), a dying British journalist, at the time of the British turnover of Hong Kong to the Chinese. He's in love with Vivian (Gong Li), a Hong Kong resident, who in turn is in love with a powerful businessman. Then there is also Jean (Maggie Cheung), a woman who captures John's interest, and is willing to give him an interview for a price. But is she telling the truth? "Chinese Box" is an enigma, and one could argue that that is the point. But unlike other movies where remaining elusive to the viewer is the goal (like "Donnie Darko"), "Chinese Box" eventually grows boring.The acting is solid. Jeremy Irons is terrific as John. We want him to make it with Vivian because we like him so much. Irons does not go for the tear ducts, nor does he spend the time he has left moping around or spouting philosophical nonsense. John knows he doesn't have much time left, and he spends it doing the two things he really wants: win Vivian's heart back and figure out Jean. There is a reason why Gong Li is considered the Asian Meryl Streep. Li is a amazing actress, but unfortunately, like the film, she remains an enigma. She doesn't have much dialogue, but Li uses her face to express herself. Cheung is also interesting as the feisty Jean. She's actually the polar opposite of Vivian: vocal, emotive, and independent. This is probably why John finds her so interesting.Director Wayne Wang made the hit film "The Joy Luck Club" based on the best-selling novel by Amy Tan, neither of which I have experienced. Whatever rights he did there are not present here. He keeps the characters at an arm's distance, which may be the point, but what we do understand, isn't especially interesting. There are some isolated scenes that work, but over all it's a pretty dull film. The best parts are when we get a peek into the culture of Hong Kong, or what we can gather of it.This isn't an especially interesting film, and not really worth it.

The players in this film, Ironsd, Li and Cheung, all have symbolic roles.Gong Li represents Hong Kong. She is a whore that every man wants.As someone even says in the film; "Hong Kong is a whore and now it has a new pimp".Irons represents, of course, Britain, and doesn't have long left, symbolized by his having cancer. Irons tries to win over Li, but to no avail. The handover is happening and nothing can stop it.Maggie Cheung (in a great and convincing performance) is the jilted lover, the part of Hong Kong that has been tricked by Britain's promises of democracy and a western way of life.When Maggie meets her former lover, the Brit doesn't even remember her... it is a poignant and believable moment.Irons is a bit flat but Gong Li is a simmering sex goddess. Perfect for her allegorical role.

I remember how excited I was when I first viewed "The Year of Living Dangerously" and watching the main characters in Indonesia just before the Vietnam War broke out. This is nowhere near that but I did come away thinking that this is a very personal film about the change in Hong Kong. Story does take place in Hong Kong during the last 6 months of British colonialism and the central character is John (Jeremy Irons) who is a writer and roams the city with his video camera capturing different things that go on but he is madly in love with Vivian (Gong Li) who owns a bar but has a sordid past that looms over them. John has been feeling ill and gets checked out and learns that he has leukemia and has 3 to 6 months to live.*****SPOILER ALERT*****John continues to wander the streets and he meets Jean (Maggie Cheung) who has a bad scar on her face and she sells knick knacks on the street and John becomes fascinated by her. As time dwindles down John must face the fact that changes are inevitable and the people of Hong Kong will go on without him.This film is directed by Wayne Wang who has made a good career out of making films about Asians and the way they live despite cultural differences. But while I think there are some interesting things in this film it's clearly not one of Wang's best. Film tries very hard to be thought provoking in it's overall message with the characters but it just seems to come off as ponderous. As talented as Iron's and Li are they seem a bit uninspired and the rare bursts of energy just lack any conviction. The most interesting character in the film is Jean played by Cheung and she easily steals every scene she's in and her character shows obvious layers of pain that she hides well despite the scar on her face. Cheung is a Hong Kong action star but she shows she can easily handle drama and I hope someone writes her a good script to be in. The story meanders and doesn't really have any focus in it's message and even though Wang is a good director it just comes across as lacking emotional depth.

The movie was OK, and does give an interesting depiction of Hong Kong. Whether the depiction is accurate is another thing.Jeremy Irons I like, but Gong Li? I just don't know what all the fuss is about her, except that she is very beautiful, I didn't find her acting anything special in this movie anyway.The strange thing I don't understand is why does Gong Li hire the 2 prostitutes to spend the night with Jeremy Irons, then later on in the film have sex with him? If her love is unrequitted, one would think the 2 prostitutes would be more than enough. The love scene between Gong Li and Jeremy Irons was done very tastefully, with no nudity even, though it is implied that they do it.