Lust, Caution (2007)
Starring: Tony Leung, Wei Tang, Joan Chen
Directed by: Ang Lee
Written by: Eileen Chang (story), James Schamus (screenplay)
Starring: Tony Leung, Wei Tang, Joan Chen
Directed by: Ang Lee
Written by: Eileen Chang (story), James Schamus (screenplay)
Distributed by: Focus Features
MPAA Rating: NC-17 for explicit sexuality
In Japanese occupied China during the 1940’s, a resistance to the Chinese oppression is thriving. A group of school friends, upon hearing about the resistance, band together to make a change in the current state of their nation. They decide they will form a plan to assassinate Mr. Yee (Tony Leung), a Chinese born man who has joined the side of the Japanese. Because of her accomplishments in acting at their school, Wang Jiazhi (Wei Tang) is chosen to be the undercover spy, to befriend Mr. Yee, in order for her friends to murder him.
Tony Leung (“Infernal Affairs”, “2046”) is becoming one of my favorite actors. He’s got such a weathered but strong handsomeness about him. The emotion in his eyes and the delivery of his lines remind me of, dare I say it, Bogart himself. The slower pace of this film works in his favor, for he savors every moment that he is onscreen. Even when off-screen, his presence is still there. His character, Mr. Yee, is strong, weathered, and handsome, yes; but Mr. Yee is also tyrannous and unmerciful, having murdered many Chinese on behalf of the Japanese. Only Tony Leung could pull off as complex and as deeply scrutinized a character as Mr. Yee.
This is Wei Tang’s first movie and you’d never know it. She acts with such poise and grace and still is unfaltering in her friends’ mission to murder Mr. Yee, the man that she appears to be falling in love with. It seemed to me many times that she would blow her cover to be with Mr. Yee, I was literally on the edge of my seat. Wei Tang as Mak Tai Tai, the undercover name for Wang Jiazhi, is relentless and unmerciful. The perfect companion for Mr. Yee. The two of them have chemistry to spare.
Speaking of the chemistry between Mr. Yee and Mak Tai Tai, “Lust, Caution” is quickly gaining the reputation for being this obscene and almost soft-core porn. Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you: It is not. Out of the 157 minute run time, the sex scenes couldn’t possibly take more than 10 minutes. This is merely the doing of the MPAA, whom apparently say that it’s OK to make movies like “Saw” rated R, but movies that actually show a normal human activity are to be forbidden. For those of you who must know more about these sex scenes, here you go. For those of you who don’t, skip to the paragraph after.
**Spoilers**
The first sex scene in the movie is very surprising. By this time, we have only seen Mr. Yee and Mak Tai Tai in a very formal setting. Mr. Yee has invited her to a hotel room and she goes, hoping to become his mistress and therefore allow her friends to get closer to him. She begins the foreplay by straddling him, taking the cigarette from his lips. You think that this is how it will be: lustful, teasing, but no. Mr. Yee rips her dress from her body and throws her on the bed on her stomach. He then pulls off his belt and ties her hands together behind her. It’s a very intense scene, but not worth an NC-17 rating.
The sex scenes that follow are less intense, and by “less intense” I mean like less of a rape scene, and are very heavy and intimate, but still not worthy of an NC-17 rating. The two actors are obviously nude, and could very well be actually having sex, but they are not. We see breasts, female genitalia and partial male genitalia.
**End Spoilers**
There are several movies that I can think of offhand that are sexually worse than this film and received R ratings. I’m sure there are several that you can think of as well. I thought that “Brokeback Mountain”, Ang Lee’s last film, was very similar in this aspect. Personally, I didn’t think that “Lust, Caution” was worthy of an NC-17 rating, but that’s my opinion.
“Lust, Caution” is a beautiful movie; Ang Lee has delivered once again. Despite the long run-time, and the slow pace, this film kept me completely engaged. This will definitely be one to watch come Oscar time.
4 out of 5 stars
In Japanese occupied China during the 1940’s, a resistance to the Chinese oppression is thriving. A group of school friends, upon hearing about the resistance, band together to make a change in the current state of their nation. They decide they will form a plan to assassinate Mr. Yee (Tony Leung), a Chinese born man who has joined the side of the Japanese. Because of her accomplishments in acting at their school, Wang Jiazhi (Wei Tang) is chosen to be the undercover spy, to befriend Mr. Yee, in order for her friends to murder him.
Tony Leung (“Infernal Affairs”, “2046”) is becoming one of my favorite actors. He’s got such a weathered but strong handsomeness about him. The emotion in his eyes and the delivery of his lines remind me of, dare I say it, Bogart himself. The slower pace of this film works in his favor, for he savors every moment that he is onscreen. Even when off-screen, his presence is still there. His character, Mr. Yee, is strong, weathered, and handsome, yes; but Mr. Yee is also tyrannous and unmerciful, having murdered many Chinese on behalf of the Japanese. Only Tony Leung could pull off as complex and as deeply scrutinized a character as Mr. Yee.
This is Wei Tang’s first movie and you’d never know it. She acts with such poise and grace and still is unfaltering in her friends’ mission to murder Mr. Yee, the man that she appears to be falling in love with. It seemed to me many times that she would blow her cover to be with Mr. Yee, I was literally on the edge of my seat. Wei Tang as Mak Tai Tai, the undercover name for Wang Jiazhi, is relentless and unmerciful. The perfect companion for Mr. Yee. The two of them have chemistry to spare.
Speaking of the chemistry between Mr. Yee and Mak Tai Tai, “Lust, Caution” is quickly gaining the reputation for being this obscene and almost soft-core porn. Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you: It is not. Out of the 157 minute run time, the sex scenes couldn’t possibly take more than 10 minutes. This is merely the doing of the MPAA, whom apparently say that it’s OK to make movies like “Saw” rated R, but movies that actually show a normal human activity are to be forbidden. For those of you who must know more about these sex scenes, here you go. For those of you who don’t, skip to the paragraph after.
**Spoilers**
The first sex scene in the movie is very surprising. By this time, we have only seen Mr. Yee and Mak Tai Tai in a very formal setting. Mr. Yee has invited her to a hotel room and she goes, hoping to become his mistress and therefore allow her friends to get closer to him. She begins the foreplay by straddling him, taking the cigarette from his lips. You think that this is how it will be: lustful, teasing, but no. Mr. Yee rips her dress from her body and throws her on the bed on her stomach. He then pulls off his belt and ties her hands together behind her. It’s a very intense scene, but not worth an NC-17 rating.
The sex scenes that follow are less intense, and by “less intense” I mean like less of a rape scene, and are very heavy and intimate, but still not worthy of an NC-17 rating. The two actors are obviously nude, and could very well be actually having sex, but they are not. We see breasts, female genitalia and partial male genitalia.
**End Spoilers**
There are several movies that I can think of offhand that are sexually worse than this film and received R ratings. I’m sure there are several that you can think of as well. I thought that “Brokeback Mountain”, Ang Lee’s last film, was very similar in this aspect. Personally, I didn’t think that “Lust, Caution” was worthy of an NC-17 rating, but that’s my opinion.
“Lust, Caution” is a beautiful movie; Ang Lee has delivered once again. Despite the long run-time, and the slow pace, this film kept me completely engaged. This will definitely be one to watch come Oscar time.
4 out of 5 stars
Jenny Rushing
2 comments:
What if we were looking for softcore asian porn, what would you suggest, lol? Just kidding. I do not have much interest in this one, which would be why I am grateful that you review films like this.
This movie was beautiful and artful. I totally agree with you on your point about violence in "SAW" being rated R, but a normal human activity like sex is seen as "dirty" and "pornographic" and thus rated NC-17. It's funny and ironic that we call ourselves a nation of "freedom of speech and expression" yet we can't handle a little human intimacy. The MPAA are hypocrites and afraid of sex. Either that or the MPAA has a bunch of Radical Feminists on board.
Regardless of the lack of appreciation from the MPAA this movie is gorgeous with wonderful actors.
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