Overview
A poignant exploration of love and longing in a time of betrayal.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- wistful
- intimate
- quiet evening
- romantic reflection
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a universally acclaimed, exquisitely photographed and deeply moving portrait of restrained romantic longing, anchored by Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung's performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Chow and Su Li-zhen develop intimate feelings while deliberately refusing to imitate their unfaithful spouses.
Repeated noodle-shop encounters, hallway crossings, and Su Li-zhen's changing cheongsams shape the relationship through variation and recurrence.
The pair's growing bond is constrained by marriage, propriety, and their determination not to become adulterers.
Neighbors in the Hong Kong apartment building share corridors, rooms, meals, and gossip, leaving Chow and Li-zhen little privacy.
Films like In the Mood for Love, and why
Brief Encounter
shared restrained romance, emotional repression, missed opportunities, and elegant visual stylization
The Remains of the Day
shared melancholic romantic longing, social restraint, and relationships shaped by circumstance
Chungking Express
shared Wong Kar-wai atmosphere, urban loneliness, fleeting intimacy, and elliptical romantic storytelling
The Age of Innocence
shared period romance, lavish visual composition, and doomed emotional restraint
Movie Details
- Director
- Wong Kar-Wai
- Release Date
- 2000-09-29
- Runtime
- 99 min
- Rating
- 8.1 / 10 (3389)
Cast
- Maggie Cheung
- Tony Leung Chiu-wai
- Siu Ping-Lam
- Rebecca Pan
- Kelly Lai Chen
- Joe Cheung Tung-Cho
- Chan Man-Lei
- Koo Kam-Wah
- Mama Hung
- Paulyn Sun
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, Philo, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is In the Mood for Love about?
- In 1960s Hong Kong, two married neighbors find profound companionship in the shadow of their spouses’ betrayal, while propriety turns affection into aching restraint.
- What is In the Mood for Love like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of In the Mood for Love as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is In the Mood for Love violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in In the Mood for Love.
- What did critics think of In the Mood for Love?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a universally acclaimed, exquisitely photographed and deeply moving portrait of restrained romantic longing, anchored by Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung's performances.
- Which films are like In the Mood for Love?
- Films with a similar feel include Brief Encounter, The Remains of the Day, Chungking Express, and The Age of Innocence.
- How long is In the Mood for Love?
- In the Mood for Love runs 99 minutes.
- Where can I watch In the Mood for Love?
- In United States, In the Mood for Love streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Philo, HBO Max.
