Wong Kar Wai's debut English language feature sets a beautiful young woman on the treacherous road to love, and takes his audience on a dramatic journey across the distance between heartbreak and a new beginning. After a rough break-up, Elizabeth (Norah Jones) sets out on a journey across America searching for a way to mend her broken heart, leaving behind a life of memories, a dream and a soulful new friend. Elizabeth takes on two waitressing jobs to raise enough money to buy a car and whilst working befriends others whose yearnings are greater than her own. Through these encounters, Elizabeth begins to understand that her own journey is part of a larger exploration of herself.
Aided by the brilliant cinematographer Darius Khondiji, My Blueberry Nights is another stunning example of the atmospheric and romantic film making for which Wong is renowned.
The decision of Wong-Kar Wai, the visionary auteur behind In The Mood For Love, Chunking Express and 2046, to make his latest film in America with well known actors in... more >
The decision of Wong-Kar Wai, the visionary auteur behind In The Mood For Love, Chunking Express and 2046, to make his latest film in America with well known actors in the key roles, caused concern among his admirers, fearing his style would be diluted for mainstream tastes. However, although the plot follows a straightforward road movie narrative, this is still unmistakeably a Wong-Kar Wai film, and is a fascinating addition to his remarkable canon.
Although the film features some big acting names, My Blueberry Nights stars singer Norah Jones in the principle role of Elizabeth, a lost soul who stumbles into diner run by Jeremy (Jude Law) one night, immediately striking up a rapport. Following an unsuccessful attempt to reunite with her boyfriend, she embarks on a road trip across America, sending Law postcards on her way.
Critics have carped that Jones (in her acting debut) delivers an uncharismatic performance as the lead, failing to convey the character’s emotions, missing the point that she is playing an unreadable young woman whose role is simply to witness the lives of those around her. David Strathairn delivers another effortless portrayal as a troubled policeman battling alcohol and his hopeless love for his wife, Rachel Weisz, complete with flawless American accent, is terrific as the cop’s floozy spouse. Best of all is a cast-against-type Natalie Portman, to whom everything, even human relationships, is a gamble.
Wai’s films are gorgeous affairs, evoking a swooning miasma of romance, anticipation and excitement. Quixotic vignettes pepper the film; cinematographer Darius Khondji produces some beautiful moments, such as a lingering close-up of a gleaming Cadillac that masks the extent of a car-crash, or a three-second shot of cream trickling through a pie. Some of the scenes recall Wai’s very best work - Weisz’s extended monologue is a heartbreaker - and it will be fascinating to see what the auteur will try next. A re-working of his earlier Ashes of Time has just premiered as Cannes (My Blueberry Nights opened the festival last year), and rumours abound that he may remake Orson Welles’ classic noir The Lady from Shanghai, and intriguing prospect from this most exciting of directors. < less
