Lust, Caution

Starring: Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Wei Tang, Joan Chen
Directed by: Ang Lee
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Romance, Thriller
2007

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A young woman (Wei Tang) and her group of friends plots to infiltrate the home of a governmental official (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) to get revenge for the execution of freedom fighters. However, she soon gets in too deep, and finds the situation is far more complicated than anyone realized.

Review:

Tim: I thought Ang Lee's Lust, Caution was another excellent entry into his film resume. The film is complex, ambitious, and has some very graphic sex scenes. The film is almost completely in subtitles, which I'm sure will turn off many American viewers. This is sad, because the film is excellent.

The two leads are terrific. Tony Leung Chiu Wai is fantastic as Mr. Yee. Wei Tang is likewise fantastic. These two actors are so excellent together- the chemistry is undeniable. Their performances cover a wide range of emotions, and they are believable in every one. Ang Lee directs a very good movie, but he is greatly helped by these two performances.

The movie does have some flaws. At about 150 minutes, the film is a little too long. It does take some effort to sit through the film. While it moves surprisingly quick, it does have a few moments that tend to drag.

Lust, Caution further solidifies Ang Lee's reputation as a terrific director. The film's emotional complexity is astounding. Lee has seldom shied away from controversy, and he further embraces it here. I highly recommend this complex, memorable film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Brokeback Mountain, The Ice Storm; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Tiger