Tony Leung

Leslie Cheung

Chang Chen

Gregory Dayton

Jacky Pang

Wong Kar-wai

Christopher Doyle

Ronny Ching

William Chang

Wong Ming-Lam

Shya Wing-Hong

Wong Chi-Ming

Danny Chung Ting-Yat

Joe Chu

Kwan Lee-Na

T.J. Chung

Terry Tu

Ignacio Barbe

Ho Ka-Fai

Joe Wong

Manuel Puig

Tom Cundom

Hiroko Shincharo

Marcelo Bosco

Ho Po-Wing

Nomeri Granata

Juan Carlos Copes

Laurita Lin

Chan Ye-cheng

Lai Yiu-Fai

James Sit La Vianda

Chang Hsien Jen

Yuen-Ching Joeris Ho

Maria Janello

Stella Maris Iglesias

Ha Wing-Hong

Lee Chi-Chiu

Marcos Maffulli

Tam Wing-Cheong

Mario Lopez Barriero

Tang Siu-Lam

Aili Chen

Christophe Tseng

Tu Duu-Chih

Norman Wang

Kwan Wing Kin

Rosa Seco

Diego Erreka

Jo Johannes

Chan Hon-Sung

Lau Tin Wah

Alicia Schemper

Wen Nien-Chung

Leung Chi-Tat

Leticia Yeh

Johnnie Kong

Petra Maria Loaiza Roque

Drama

Romance

春光乍洩

Block 2 Pictures

Seowoo Film Company

Prénom H Co. Ltd.

Jet Tone Production

Hong Kong

South Korea

Japan

CinemaSerf

I felt the opening few scenes offered great promise, they are gritty and illustrative not just of a sexuality, but also of the physical nature of a relationship. When the two men travel to Argentina however, on an holiday, it is quickly clear to all that the relationship is on it's last legs. They separate and both find themselves leading lives that neither would have sought or really want - but yet they cannot go back; don't want to go back - even though one life takes on new positive meaning, whilst the other hits the skids. It's beautifully shot with director Wong Kar-Wai making full use of the grand scenery offered by the Argentine, but somehow I think that grandeur subsumed the story. The characters are strong, and both lead actors deliver well and consistently, but I couldn't help feeling a certain element of ennui as I watched it. It would be unfair to describe it as melodrama, but somehow the characters didn't engage me. Whilst I felt sympathy for "Po-wing" (Leslie Cheung) I found him rather irritating; his introspection grated on me after a while. "Yiu-fai' (Tony Leung) offered more by way of validation - of optimism, but again it just didn't quite get my engagement genes firing. Maybe it is because European cinema has largely long since lost the ability to truly shock, that this has much less impact than I had anticipated - but though thoroughly watchable, it still left me underwhelmed.