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Cinephiles have been patiently waiting for Wong Kar-wai's 2046 for what seems like a century. The Hong Kong director who's best known for masterpieces like Chungking Express and In the Mood for Love started 2046 back when the British colony was first turned over to the Chinese (the title refers to the end of the 50-year agreement that governs Hong Kong). The standard joke involved whether Wong would release the film before its titular year. He did premiere the film at Cannes last spring and then promptly returned to the editing studio to re-work it. 2046 was eventually released theatrically in the fall, but as yet no American release date exists.

Instead, Kino International has decided to give us Days of Being Wild, Wong's 1991 feature that's finally getting its first full theatrical release. As with many theatrical runs of older movies, this one is in some ways an advertisement for the dvd which has just come out. But don't overlook seeing it in the theater just because you can rent the dvd, for this one benefits substantially from the big screen.

Like all of Wong's work, Days of Being Wild is a beautiful exploration of the limits of love. Leslie Cheung plays a handsome lothario who meets a young shop clerk named Su Lizen (the incomparable Maggie Cheung, no relation). He buys a Coke and then asks for her name. She doesn't like the tone of his voice and rejects his request, but he guesses it anyway and leaves her with the challenge, "You'll see me tonight in your dreams." The next day he's back at the same time. She retorts that she didn't see him in her dreams, and he laughs that she never went to sleep, which might be true. The next day he's back again, but Maggie's not falling for his line. "Why should I be friends with you?" she spits out. He takes her hand, looks at his watch, waits a minute, and remarks, "April 16, 1960, one minute before three. I'll always remember this minute because of you. Now we're one-minute friends." Well, few women could resist a line like that, and the next time we see the two of them, they're in bed.

Days of Being Wild was the first film Wong shot with master cinematographer Chris Doyle (Hero), but their brilliant collaboration is at the top of its form. Unlike the lush yellows and purples Doyle captured in In the Mood for Love, he uses a paler, cooler palette this time. He also masterfully alternates between long shots and close ups. When the two first meet, the camera takes in the entire room in deep focus to emphasize the distance between them, moving in for a close up only at key moments of dialogue. But in the bedroom scene, it's almost completely close ups of one face, then the other. The pale light glancing off of Maggie's face might be one of the loveliest things I see in 2005.

The relationship doesn't last long--none of Leslie's do--and he's soon moved on to a dancing girl named Mimi (Carina Lau). But the issue that came up with Su Lizen repeats itself with Mimi--who's in control. Wong Kar-wai's dialogue is perfectly timed to reveal how men and women talk to each other: who asks the questions, how we feel when someone asks us to reveal ourselves, how we make demands and how we react to those demands. From the simplest act of telling our name to the confrontation that ends the relationship, the film lays open the innards of romantic relationships, exposing their ugly power dynamics. When Mimi offers to support him financially, Leslie Cheung's character reacts angrily, throwing her out, an act that echoes an encounter Su Lizen has with a helpful cop (in a nice, small role for Andy Lau). "I don't want to owe you," she remarks, but what these characters don't realize is that relationships are all about giving up that independence.

The film's final half hour loses its way somewhat. A revelation about Leslie Cheung's character explains too much, sucking out some of the movie's mystery, and when the action shifts from Hong Kong to the Philippines, it's as if Wong has himself moved to unfamiliar territory.

Still any movie with Maggie Cheung, Andy Lau, and Leslie Cheung playing yearning lovers is worth seeing. Add in Wong Kar-wai's exquisite direction and Chris Doyle's spectacular cinematography (there's a superfluous Steadicam shot near the end which is awe-inspiring), and you have a marvelous way to start the new year. If nothing else, it'll tide us over until 2046.

J. Robert Parks  1/10/2004