Rick Reeves

The subtle performances of Jeremy Irons and Gong Li make this little gem of a movie worth it alone. Wayne Wang, a chinese director, tells a story about passion or the lack of it against a chinese backdrop. An intelligent, thought provoking look at love and loss which apophatically points towards a deeper reality. There is an unstated implication that what we desire is always just out of reach as symbolised by Wang's clever use of Ry Cooder's song Across The Borderline. If you want a standard "romance" this is not for you. If you have ever wondered what love really is then this provocative little piece will keep you interested long after the end credits roll. An intellectually stimulating story well told that deserves a wider audience than it got.

A brilliant satire on the divisions in American society skillfully highlighting the image ridden obsessions of those in power and the accompanying bunker mentality practiced by those in office. If black comedy is your thing this movie is very very funny. Considering it was made in 1997 it has turned out to be oddly prophetic in many ways and, as such, still makes for compulsive viewing. Despite the black humour it also carries its own moral cry in defense of the now almost forgotten values upon which America was originally formed. As such this is a rarity in as much as the blackness is balanced with constructive moral insight. For viewers whose sense of humour and intellect run parallel this has to be a five star experience.