The Follow

I just watched the first four in the series of "BMW Films", and this is by far the best. I was more familiar with the other three directors (the great Ang Lee, the very good Guy Ritchie, and the stunningly adequate John Frankenheimer), but after seeing "The Follow" (and reading someone compare Kar-Wai's "In the Mood for Love" with Soderbergh's "The Limey") I feel a strong need to search out more of this director's work.

"The Follow" avoids the "five minutes worth of car chase" formula employed by the other BMW films, instead reaching for a more haunting, psychological examination of obsession and the loss of love. Clive Owens is given more to work with here than in any of the other films, and he comes through like a champ, delivering a lyrical, understated narration that the film would fall apart without. Mickey Rourke is solid, but his role goes by so fast that he doesn't get a chance to do much. Forest Whitaker is better, though for some reason uncredited. If you get a chance to watch this movie, by all means do it. Among the top five short films I've seen. Now I need to go see if I can find a copy of "Chungking Express" to rent.

I agree that The Follow is the finest film in " The Hire " series of BMW short films. With it, director Wong Kar-Wai gives us a unique take on the series. The photography, and music blend perfectly to make the film itself very simple, elegant, and more poignant then you would ever expect a " promotional film " to be.

The performances are genuine and unhurried, which aside from Clive Owen as The Driver, include the talents of Mickey Roarke and Forrest Whitaker. This really does leave you wishing it was a full length feature.

Something I have noticed in all of the BMW films is the attention paid to atmospheric sound, the effects are always excellant. I highly recommend viewing all the films in The Hire series, but particularly The Follow.

While John Frankenheimer and Ang Lee made films whose primary purpose is to show off the new line of BMW cars, Wong Kar Wai's FOLLOW is the first to actually try to make a genuine piece of art where the cars plays a secondary purpose. A driver (Clive Owen) is hired to keep surveillance on a movie star's wife, and begins to find himself emotionally involved.

OK, the plot is standard film noir material, but it is Wong Kar-Wai's elliptical visual style juxtaposed with melancholy music that creates an unforgettable mood piece that rejuvenates noir cliches. A perfect example is when Clive Owen looks into the wife's face and suddenly realize why she's attempting to leave her husband. It's just a simple understated shot that would be absolutely beautiful until you realize what the camera is focusing on.

This is a short film that a viewer would wish to be a full-length feature to stay in the sad stylish world that it has created. Now how many car commercials can claim that?

Visually this is a beautiful short. It has some amazing cinematography by Harris Savides who also made moody movies like "The Game", "Finding Forrester" and "Birth". The fine directing is from Kar Wai Wong, who makes this short a little piece of art.

The story is also what helps to make this movie beautiful. Although its short it still manages to create depth and stir up the right emotions. This is the second and so far last "The Hire" short written by expert Andrew Kevin Walker. If you only like and expecting a cool car chase than you're better of watching another "The Hire" short and you can just better skip this one.

The good mood music is from Joel Goodman and Jeff Rona.

Famous stars in this are Mickey Rourke and Forest Whitaker in an uncredited but big role.

The third "The Hire" movie is just simply beautiful!

9/10

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The BMW Film series films are all excellent. I particularly appreciate the humor of "Star" and the sensitivity and awareness of "Powder Keg," but "The Follow" seems to stand out as the best film of them all. The Driver seems more relaxed and perhaps more together in this of all of the films. He starts out detached, coldly explaining the best way to tail someone, but becomes human, identifying with the heroine and allowing justice to be served. Amazingly all accomplished in 6 minutes. Clive Owen is great as always and Forest Whitaker is affecting in an unbilled performance. 9/10