Wong Kar Wai is a director from whom I have wanted to see more films. So far, my experience has been rather limited. Well, to be fair, my Wong Kar Wai experience has been essentially non-existent. Many years ago I watched Chung King Express, although I only watched part of it, so that doesn't really count. Why? I don't have a good answer for that, most likely it was a movie I was not ready to invest myself in. I should go back to it.
The other film I have seen, the whole thing this time, was 2046. That was a film I found intriguing but must admit, I did not get at the time. I need to revisit it. This time around we have My Blueberry Nights, Wong Kar Wai's English language debut, and while his unique take on romance and character suffers a bit in the translation, it's still a strangely compelling film.
While, yes, I found My Blueberry Nights to be a compelling film, it was also a frustrating one. I found the plot, of which there is little, to be a bit too meandering. I can see what Wong Kar Wai was getting at, but I found it to be a little too obtuse to have much of an impact. On a more technical note, there are a few odd cuts that caught my eye. Beyond that I just did not care for the use of slow motion, which looked more like stills being flipped. That isn't completely accurate, but when you see the film you will see what I mean. It is a stylistic choice that I found jarring; with the cinematography and the overall look of the film I would have preferred a more traditional looking slow motion, or even just a slow camera move.
My Blueberry Nights centers on Elizabeth, a young woman played by Norah Jones in her big screen debut. She is a woman with a broken heart. She happens into a diner looking for her boyfriend, only to learn that she is being cheated on. With the wounds fresh on her soul, she strikes up a friendship with the man behind the counter, Jeremy (Jude Law). They bond over blueberry pie, which has inexplicably not been touched throughout the day, or any day for that matter. They discuss such mundane topics as untouched pies and why they are made; however, they also discuss a jar of keys that Jeremy keeps behind the diner counter, how they came to be there, why they stay there, and why Jeremy chooses to keep them.
Article comments
1 - Derek Fleek
I enjoyed it much more than you. I thought it was one of the ten best film of the year. Great review nonetheless.
2 - Chris Beaumont
Thanks Derek. I wonder if this is one of those movies that I will like better somewhere down the line?
3 - 1minutefilmreview
Nice review. Loved the film, we're WKW fans too.