Chinese Box

For starters, it would be fair to say that I have seen this movie at least ten times. I was never bored... In fact, the magical atmosphere of the movie makes it beautiful to watch, and makes you enjoy every minute of it, even with the story aside. The cast is excellent, and the way that the actors 'ignore' the camera really makes you believe the story. The story has many layers, all of them viewed from an aspect of a dying man, packed with emotion, all masks down. The handover of Hong Kong and a love story, with all the cultural differences and barriers, is captured from a very close range. It's done almost like a documentary and strongly effects any spectator. The characters are complete, the story also, and everything else in the movie (from the photography and the music to the actual footage of HK and its people) only makes it more powerful. A beautiful movie.

I have seen this film three times now and it just seems to get better. Gong Li and Jeremy Irons were fabulous along with Maggie Cheung who played a fascinating character. The street scenes I thought really enhanced the ambience of the film and plot. Congrats to all who were involved in this film.

I don't know why, but people on imdb and elsewhere have been very critical of this film. Personally, as someone living in Hong Kong, I think it is both a well made and important film. At the end, the analogy of Gong Li's character starting again, as Hong Kong is starting again, worked well. I think perhaps the only drawback is Maggie Cheung's character, as it seems a little pointless. However, I like nearly everything Jeremy Irons is in - he is really one of the world's best actors. His characters are always people that I can somehow empathise with - they're always very believable and he really carries the film's themes. The idea of setting the film in the six months leading up to Hong Kong's July 1, 1997 handover works well. As Irons' character dies, so does British sovereignty - the Union Jack goes down, the last Governor cries, Gong Li shakes off her long-time sugar daddy. It's a captivating and well-told story of which the Director should be proud, although I read an interview with him a while ago, and he didn't want to talk about the film, since it's upset some people in Hong Kong, I think. This film is certainly better than most rubbish that's made in Hong Kong. I urge you to find a copy and see it.

I don't know what's wrong with you people, or where stupid Hong Kong nationalism comes into this. I see movies that show lousy parts of Boston, and I don't go whining about it on web sites. The story is extremely moving, Hong Kong seemed fascinating, there was amazing imagery and chemistry between Irons and Li. I was blown away both times I saw it. I highly recommend Chinese Box.

Much has already been said about the film itself. Here are some comments regarding the portrayal of Hong Kong. An early comment was saying that this film makes Hong Kong look dirty and cramped.

Well, having lived in Hong Kong (in several different areas) I have to say that what the film shows is reality. I was paying about US$1,000 per month for a small room about 10 x 15 feet in Hong Kong (Tin Hau area) in 1996. It was not even a really nice place. Hong Kong is very expensive to live in.

It is also a very dirty and polluted place compared to cities in the West. The director of the film was not making this up.

By reading this you may think I hated it there, well it rates as one of my favorite cities in the world. It has a lot of charm.

By the way, the movie isn't bad and worth a look.