Linbeymusol Wonderful character development!

GazerRise Fantastic!

Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

daoldiges I first saw Happy Together during its original release and kind of liked it. I recall very clearly not quite understanding why I kind of liked it ,and couldn't justify it to my friend who I'd seen it with and who didn't like it. 10 years later a friend gave me bag of old DVD's he was getting rid of and this was one of those, so I watched it again one rainy afternoon. What a difference a second viewing made. I recently saw it again on the big screen and my affections and appreciation for this film continues to grow as the film continues to reveal itself and I understand it more. Unlike many, I do not see this film as a love story between to men but rather view the central relationship as just one of the films many elements the director uses to show the individual and solo aspect of life that each of us faces. Family relationships, romantic love, professional relationships, random people that come and go in our lives, and through differing cultures, are all used to illustrate this central theme. The acting is wonderful, the characters unique and interesting and the cinematography and score all combine to create a beautiful and powerful, and haunting experience. Happy Together is not an easily accessible film and for the viewers who saw this film and liked it or disliked it, I encourage a second viewing. Happy Together really is a wonderful and moving film well worth the time and challenge.

bbrooks94 On-off lovers Yiu-fai (Tony Leung) and Po-wing (Leslie Cheung), whose relationship is bumpy to say the least, find themselves stranded in Buenos Aires, on a trip to the 'end of the world'. Both characters are unbalanced but Yiu-fai appears the more decent, quiet and hardworking. They constantly break-up and reunite, and the film follows this relationship (centring on Tony Leung's Yiu-fai) which for some inexplicable reason both men seem drawn to, even though externally Yiu-fai seems to have a deep resentment for the high-wired and unruly Po-wing. It's highly stylised, the use of imagery and cinematography inspired, beautifully shot and acted brilliantly. I was unfortunate in that my subtitles were ahead of themselves, but even this didn't greatly damage the brilliant pacing of the film. As Wong Kar-Wai plays with the camera, he plays with out emotions. The characters are tragic individuals, clearly yearning for some purpose, taking out each other's anger at being unable to discover said purpose on the other, but the film's ending leaves us with hope. Very emotional and poetic film.

Kevin Schwoer Once again Wong Kar Wai has stepped outside the realm a traditional film making and produced a piece so emotionally powerful and visually stimulating that it ranks among his best work as well as one of the greatest films to come out of the Chinese "New wave" cinema. Themes of alienation, loneliness and searching for something bleed through Wong's films like ink on a white shirt, permanently changing our perception of what great film making truly is. Centering around two homosexual, Chinese men, the film depicts modern day Argentina. Having the men as homosexuals alright draws a line between acceptance and alienation for homosexuals still struggle for acceptance today. But also having the film take place in Argentina separates these men even further to the point that they, each other, are all they have. Their relationship is really the heart of the story which goes completely opposite of the film's namesake. Not once are they happy together nor are they happy apart. The film acts as a sort of tug-a-war with these lovers constantly battling to win each other back or push each other way. Never once is one's "male" dominance long lasting, leaving these lovers continuing their love hate relationship. Wong has the power to use his sets as not only backdrops but characters themselves. Much of the film takes place in their small cramped room. The leaning walls constantly give off the feeling that their small little world is closing in about them. The room is not glorified nor is it pretty. It is dressed with gritty trash with realism so thick that it transports the viewer into the room as well. The characters look cramped in their environment even outside the room. And even outside the room into the streets of Argentina, there is never a sense of the outside world. Just the small world from work to home, nothing more. The camera is squeezed where ever it can fit and the scene is documented.The non linear story perfectly captures the life of these two characters who are literally fish out of water. Wong's fixation on alienation and searching come through more in this film than any of his others. The powerful acting propels the story and the emotional content of their relationship gives it a heart. The film is not happy nor is it very entertaining beyond the characters. Nothing much is gained and nothing much is lost yet the aesthetic beauty of the cramped and ugly Argentina background leaves a lasting impression on the viewer. Wong's ability to handle such subject matter with grace and power to evoke such real emotions, demonstrates why he is one of the great filmmakers working today and will surely be remember as one of the great filmmakers of the industry.

MELBOURNEgeek From Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai,the writer and director of the highly regarded CHUNG KING EXPRESS (CHONGQING SENLIN), comes HAPPY TOGETHER (CHEUN GWONG TSA SIT). HAPPY TOGETHER tells the story of a gay Chinese couple in Buenos Aires, Argentina, who are anything but happy. The story, to the extent there is any, consists of a series of vignettes about their petty fights.In this two person drama Leslie Cheung Kwok-Wing plays Ho Po-Wing and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai plays Lai Yiu-Fai. Leslie was last seen in TEMPTRESS MOON (FENG YUE) and Tony in CYCLO (XICH LO). Both are quite capable actors, but the parts they are given in HAPPY TOGETHER almost dares the audience to care. Their lifeless performances are right in line with Wong's dreadfully dull screenplay.Although the movie contains some of the most graphic homosexual scenes I've encountered, the actors present no passion or love during them with the result that the scenes are coldly antiseptic.Most of the movie has them arguing with each other, complaining about the lack of jobs in Argentina and living a life of poverty in their (literally) flea-bag room. Never is the narrative interesting and rarely are the characters the least bit compelling.The picture has a single saving grace. The cinematography by Christopher Doyle punctuates the otherwise uninvolving scenes with fascinating images. Although Doyle's work in HAPPY TOGETHER is not nearly as good as his stunning work in TEMPTRESS MOON, he enlivens an otherwise tedious picture. Using both oversaturated black-and-white sequences and lush color ones, he keeps the audience's attention even when the story doesn't. One evocative scene has our two lonely leads stranded on the highway. Shooting from a distance, the black-and-white highway seems as infinite as Tony and Lai's troubles. Another scene is shot from high above the city streets. Using color at night and a strobe effect, the cars dart around the turns like colored rats in a maze."Turns out that normal people are all the same," concludes Lai. Similarly, the movie HAPPY TOGETHER has a dreary sameness to each of its vignettes, only the handsome cinematography saves it from being an unwatchable, boring film.HAPPY TOGETHER seems to go on forever but its running time is actually only 1:37. The picture is in Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles. The film is not rated but would get an R for nudity, profanity, violence and graphic sex. The film is not appropriate for teenagers.