This film was directed by the Chinese director, Wong Kar-Wai, who came to Western attention through his strange and quirky CHUNGKING EXPRESS. Because it was such an unusual and unique film, I decided to watch this other film. And, as in CHUNKING EXPRESS, DAYS OF BEING WILD was indeed a very unusual film--though with none of the kooky sensibilities of the other movie.

The film begins with a man trying to slowly ingratiate himself to a rather shy lady. Slowly but surely he is able to bring her out of her shell and after months of grooming her, he is able to bed her. To him, it's all a game and he has absolutely no regard for her or any other woman. But this nice lady is shattered and he could care less. Later, you see him pretty much doing the same thing in another self-centered relationship. While this is moderately interesting, what makes it even more so is his relationship with his foster mom. Their sick and dysfunctional interactions tell much about why he is who he is. The rest of the film concerns both of them as they separate and go their ways.

The DVD case compared this movie to the French film, LA RONDE. In most ways, this is very unfortunate, as both movies are excellent on their own and Wong Kar-Wai's film is not derivative. The only major similarities I saw is that both films involved sex and also showed how the two people at the beginning later had impact on others' behaviors as well. LA RONDE was about a large group of people and how sex (and an STD) unites them, while DAYS OF BEING WILD is about connections--and how some are unable to have deep or meaningful relationships. In this sense, it's a standout film. However, unfortunately, this also makes it a rather unpleasant film and is a bit difficult to watch--definitely NOT a date movie! It simply is NOT a fun film. But for someone who wants something with insights and is well directed and written, this is a film well worth seeing.

NOTE--While this film is about sexuality and the DVD case looks very steamy, there is no nudity in the film. This actually might be an excellent film for teens to see with their parents, as it opens up a great opportunity to talk about intimacy and sexuality--and how some cannot or will not combine the two.

Set in 1960, the film centers on the young, boyishly handsome Yuddy, who learns from the drunken ex-prostitute who raised him that she is not his real mother. Hoping to hold onto him, she refuses to divulge the name of his real birth mother.

Almost entirely ignored on its original release, the film has gathered strong critical interest over time, and has a Metacritic score of 96%. Critics praise the film for its beauty and eroticism, though some do not discern a narrative arc that brings the pieces together.

The lack of a strong narrative sort of had me less than interested, or at least as much as I could have been. Maybe i was in the wrong mindset. I loved the color palette, and it is nice to gt more out of Hong Kong than martial arts and action films... but this just was not for me.

I don't recall having seen any of Wong Kar-wai's movies before now, so I suppose that his "A fei zing zyun" ("Days of Being Wild" in English) is an OK place to start. It focuses on a playboy in 1960 Hong Kong and his relationships while he tries to find out the identity of his birth mother. Much of the movie takes place in dark settings, making Hong Kong look like a seedy place, far different from the image that we usually get of it. This is one movie that really tests your attention span.

I guess that I can't fully assess this movie without having seen the rest of Wong's movies. Even so, it's a profound, thought-provoking look at the characters and their interactions with each other. Often when I watch these movies, I wonder if I've missed certain cultural nuances. Whether or not I have, I still recommend it, just as long as you remember that you really gotta pay attention here.