Normally a movie will take you from the moment two people meet. It will show you how they came to know each other better, why they fell in love, and maybe what broke them up. Interestingly this movie dispenses with the stuff that most romantic movies devote celluloid to, leaving us with the story of a breakup.
It doesn't exactly start at the moment of breakup. To be precise there is a one-minute truck scene. The truck is loaded with produce at a farm and begins its transit when morning breaks. Colors sweep the sky ever-changing as the truck negotiates lanes, roads, highways and bridges. Night falls, and then the impact of metal on metal causes several potatoes and a couple of onions to roll on an asphalt highway. Then Leon Lai and Faye Wong break up. Actually they broke up no longer than a second ago. If you like what you just read, you might just like Leaving Me, Loving You.
The movie has more picture-perfect scenes than several movies combined. This is its strongest point: it's a visual extravaganza. Visit Shanghai without breaking the bank. Find out for yourself that an apartment with a lavender ceiling looks wonderful with pink, yellow and green walls. Look straight into a frescoed dome that lords over a fantastic museum. Check out what Faye Wong and Leon Lai are wearing (what shirt goes with that green vest; which shoes match this and that skirt perfectly). And the script was all right too. Some good acting, lots of interesting locations, more than enough silence
let's just move on to the rough patches.
What's with Moon River? It's so identified with Breakfast at Tiffany's any movie without an allusion to it opens up a hole. And who could get past this movie without cringing every time 'Loving You' was played? It's easy because you're beautiful
(cringe) La la la la la, la la la la la, la la la la la la la la la la la... (cringe) And when you find out why they broke up (it includes 'too much sex') you'll sit up and wonder, really? You two could have fooled me! It's one of those problems you can pin on either the director or the scriptwriter, it's hard to tell. But if you want to blame the actor and producer, the fact that Leon Lai is both should save you the trouble of choosing your target.
Overall, if you already know the secrets of the universe, discovered your purpose in life and have two-hours to spare it won't hurt to see this movie. For the rest of us who end up wearing our slippers on the wrong feet in the middle of the night, you'll have to figure this out (secrets, purpose, whether or not to watch).
