I was honestly not expecting to like this as much as I did, I really only watched it for the novelty of a Beijing Chungking Express, and also because it was something completely different from Zhang Yimou, a director I need to check out more from.
Well, let's be real, this film is definitely at the very least, heavily inspired both in style and also Faye Wong herself by Chungking Express, the character of An Hong is literally her spitting image (though without any of the wonderfully quirky personality that Faye has).
If I'm being real, the love interest aspect of the film is the weakest part, it is funny, but the real good stuff is with Zhang Qiusheng, it is so wonderfully over-the-top and weird in a way I really like. You have no idea where the restaurant scene is going (and it makes up a big chunk of this film), but it keeps getting crazier and crazier but remains just as fun the whole way.
Jiang Wen as the bookseller is honestly really fun, he is simultaneously quite unlikeable, but Jiang Wen infuses enough heart and soul into it that you can't help but like him, and the dynamic between the bookseller and Zhang Qiusheng is so much fun to watch.
The cinema verite style is clearly very Wong Kar-Wai, but I do think it takes on its own style. The film, being much lighter in tone than any Wong Kar-Wai film sees a much more frantic, loose and carefree cinematography and editing style.
Genuinely was surprised at how good this was, good time!
(I can't believe I saw this before Raise the Red Lantern lol)
