The friendship between a man and a woman in 1962 Hong Kong will transform into a refined dance of rapprochement as they discover their affinity in everything, yet stoically renounce love.

The man and woman, next-door neighbors, discover that their respective spouses are having a clandestine affair with each other, and find themselves sharing this grotesque situation.

The two will have to come to terms with their past, but also and especially with their future.

This is a delicate and graceful film by Kar Wai Wong, a truly interesting director with notable works to his credit such as the wonderful Fallen Angels (1995) or the aforementioned Chungking Express (1994).

It is interesting that the film saw the succession of two cinematographers who characterized the visual impact of the work with almost antithetical registers but without falling into disharmony.

Initially, Christopher Doyle employed his stark colors which contrast the soft on-set lighting, enhancing its vividness; subsequently, Doyle was succeeded by the Korean Mark Lee Ping-bin, who highlighted the softness of chiaroscuro, crafting a never-redundant play of shadows.

The director is particularly praised for his ability to make natural some complex scenes of dialectical opposition between characters, like a seasoned storyteller proclaiming his courteous tales in the town square.

Also excellent are the actors' performances and the polished and sinuous soundtrack, an ideal garment for a story that seduces through images and sounds.