Review of As Tears Go By

Introduction

As Tears Go By is an early Wong Kar-Wai feature which his fans will find, despite featuring regular colaborators Maggie Cheung and Andy Lau, follows a distinctly different tone to his later films.

Ah Wah (Andy Lau) is a small time gangster living in the heady hotpot of the Kowloon district, Hong Kong. Despite being notoriously tough and ever-loyal, Ah Wah is reaching the end of his best years without anything to show for his bright youth: a scummy apartment, a trashy girlfriend and no big-time developments on the horizon. His `little brother`, Fly (Jackie Cheung), is even more reckless than Ah Wah was when he was younger, and is constantly placing their lives and reputation at risk by courting trouble with rival gangs. But when Ah Wah`s distant cousin (Maggie Cheung) arrives from the peaceful Lantau island hoping to find a a cure for her illness, she also brings with her the chance of a new life for Ah Wah, away from the bloodthirsty world of small time hoodlums. However, when Fly crosses the line with one of the rival gang leaders, Ah Wah has to decide between his dream settling down to a quieter life and his duty to protect his little brother.

Video

The video quality is certainly watchable, but I would guess that this is a direct port from the VHS version. The print shows damage in many scens, with flecks and specks present throughout. The colours are muddy and muted - although this oddly lends the film a certain charm that matches the dated set and clothes of the characters.

Audio

Disappointingly, only the original mono soundtrack is available. The subtitles are white with black outline, presenting no diffculty when reading them.

Features

The extras consist solely of a set of film trailers - not all related to WKW films, although trailers for In the Mood for Love and 2046 are included.

Conclusion

Although Wong Kar-Wai is now known as very much an auteur with trademark breathtaking visuals, this being his first feature film means that As Tears Go By is very rough around the edges in both plot and style - a world apart from 2046 or In the Mood for Love. Yet, despite the obvious differences between this and any of his later films - the simplistic plot, the muted colour palette, the shaky-cam shooting - As Tears Go By still has an addictiveness that befits Wong`s direction. Great to watch as an early example of his work then, and an entertaining film in its own right also.