When previewed at the Cannes film festival, my man in Cannes informed me that 2046 was a sumptuous film in dire need of re-editing. Some months later it was screened again on the film distribution circuit and again people who’d actually seen it felt some nip and tuck work was needed, but on the whole, all were in agreement it was beautiful to look at. One month later it’s starting general release throughout European cinemas and finally I had the chance to see for myself this thing of beauty, this 2046.

Director Wong Kar Wai is known for his luscious use of color and highly stylized imagery. 2046 is no exception as he demonstrates that, yes; he really does know how to construct a beautiful film. Yet looks aren’t everything and after well over two hours I too had a sinking feeling that with a little bit of editing liposuction a pretty good film might emerge beyond the facade of lusciousness. Instead, 2046 suffers from a case of director’s over indulgence.

Right from the beginning the seduction is on. The music swells and our eyes are wrapped in the velvety colors or 2046. The film begins with the story within the story, that of the science fiction novel written by the main character, Chow (Tony Leung Chiu Wai). Next we return from the future to the past as Chow remembers his farewell with his great love, Su Li Zhen (Gong Li). We see directly that this is the same Chow from Wong Kar Wai’s film In the Mood for Love (2000) which told the story of an impossible love. Again a jump in time as we enter the present, which is the past, which is Hong Kong in the 1960′s. Chow is working as a journalist writing about night club life and going out playing the party boy. The film progresses with a series of encounters where love seems a virtual impossibility. Some of these loves end badly and some turn out o.k., but for Chow love will always be impossible unless he can escape the memory of his love for Su Li.

There is no way to emphasize enough how beautiful this film is to look at. It is truly captivating in this respect. There is a brilliant sound track that I am going to get my butt to the record shop a.s.a.p. to buy and, oh, yes, did I tell you it was beautiful to look at!? Why am I harping on about this? Well it’s because 2046 is like that person you see from across a crowded floor and they stand out, because their beauty is so intoxicating. The thing is, beauty is fleeting and in this case it becomes suffocating. The relationship between the viewer and the film is an impossible love in itself as even a hopeless romantic like me, finds themselves looking for a life raft; just hoping for something of real substance to hold on to, as the nature and interpretation of impossible loves are pondered.

A lot of French money was behind this production, as with many of the projects of Wong Kar Wai. Perhaps the French love his films so because he pays French Nouvelle Vague cinema homage in every shot. One other financial source made itself annoyingly present however. LG had the irritating audacity to have their logo blatantly popping out in the futuristic setting of 2046. When brands shout out for attention in films with product placement it is always conspicuous if not vulgar. Just imagine what the result is when there is only one product being placed. A sore thumb doesn’t begin to describe it. It’s as if the film is this beautiful woman who has a snot hanging out of her nose. Booooooo to LG for being a little boogie and down with product placement.

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