Days of Being Wild (re-release)

Name: Days of Being Wild (re-release)
Genre: Drama, Romance, Crime
Released: November 19, 2004
Duration: 94 min
Rating: 93

2004

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 21 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 60 Ratings

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8.2

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8.2	User Score Universal acclaim based on 60 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Rim | Release Date: November 19, 2004 | Unrated

Summary: In his first hypnotic backward glance at Hong Kong in 1960, Wong Kar Wai creates a post-modern La Ronde set in a fluorescent labyrinth of cool desperation and unfulfilled need. Against the echoing rhythms of period rumbas, Days of Being Wild (1991) tracks a half dozen characters through their individual searches for intimate connection.In his first hypnotic backward glance at Hong Kong in 1960, Wong Kar Wai creates a post-modern La Ronde set in a fluorescent labyrinth of cool desperation and unfulfilled need. Against the echoing rhythms of period rumbas, Days of Being Wild (1991) tracks a half dozen characters through their individual searches for intimate connection. (Kino International)… Expand

Director: Kar Wai Wong

Genre(s): Drama, Romance, Crime

Rating: Unrated

Runtime: 94 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Desson Thomson

Its themes of passion, heartbreak and the inexorable passage of time are eternal. Read full review

100

Michael Wilmington

Sometimes cinema's highest achievements become clear only in retrospect. Days of Being Wild--now clearly revealed as one of the peaks of Hong Kong filmmaking and a masterwork of contemporary cinema giant Wong. Read full review

100

David Sterritt

It's inexplicable that Wong's early masterpiece has been virtually absent from American screens since he completed it in 1991. Read full review

Kim Morgan

Like Proust's madeleine unleashing a flood of reminiscences in the narrator of his novel, Wong works the elements of his aesthetic — music, beautiful people and emotion — into a mood that so overtakes you it's nearly impossible to emerge from his films without feeling slightly drunk. Read full review

Joey O'Bryan

All those seriously interested in foreign cinema are encouraged to take a look at this atmospheric drama -- sure to be remembered as one of the key achievements of the Hong Kong cinema in the 1990s. Read full review

Sean Axmaker

Doyle's handheld camerawork is intimate and curious and his hazy colors radiate off the screen. Read full review

Empire Abby Hoffman

Style over substance, but very stylish indeed. Read full review

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User Reviews

BrianM

May 19, 2007

This and 2046 speak very loudly to a certain group of people. If you haven't been there, I wouldn't expect you to understand. To those it have, it's powerful stuff.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

TNgo

Dec 7, 2005

Just wonderful! I especially loved its meditation on time.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Jul 24, 2006

one of the best movies i have ever seen and he keeps getting better with each i m not sure how that is possible every second of thsis movie is dripped in dealing with time and mix of emotions.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

KennyC.

Aug 26, 2008

I was so hypnotized by its beauty the first time I saw it in the cinema that I paid to watch it again for the next 2 days. And for the next 17 years, I continued watching this movie again and again, first on VHS, then VCD and now DVD. And I never cease to be mesmerized by it.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

mubagreen

Sep 12, 2011

when i watched the film ,it makes me to feel that oh you are watching something special.its an unusual movie. iam deeply impressed by the director kar wai wong who made this inexplicable movie. the characters in the film make us emotionally attached to them ,even after we watched the film.....

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ahmedaiman9999

Oct 23, 2018

As much as it also has a twisty, and hazy plot as the other Wong Kar-wai's movies that I've seen so far, Days of Being Wild's narrative feels more controlled. Even the seemingly unfocused nature of its storyline can be justified this time, as its despicable protagonist, Yuddy, is aAs much as it also has a twisty, and hazy plot as the other Wong Kar-wai's movies that I've seen so far, Days of Being Wild's narrative feels more controlled. Even the seemingly unfocused nature of its storyline can be justified this time, as its despicable protagonist, Yuddy, is a nihilistic character.

The same goes with the tech aspect. The expressive beauty of this movie doesn't often stem from the hypnotic colors, and numbing lights like Chungking Express, or Fallen Angels, instead it comes from the demonstrative use of tight framing that also provided us with some astonishingly good-looking shots.

Yuddy is an extremely obnoxious character that you can't emphasize with. That said, I didn't hate him, simply because I found the fact the woman who raised him refuses to reveal his real mother's name so agonizing. To top it all, Rebecca Pan, who played his adoptive mother, gave such a provocative performance that I couldn't help hate her character so much that I kinda rooted for Yuddy.

The realistic method most scenes are shot with made me connect with every character on the screen, even if their actions may sometimes feel implausible. Unfortunately, this wasn't enough to make me convinced one hundred percent. I found two central characters' feelings and doings far from being reasonable. As these two characters are seen very much from the outside, and lacking real depth, at least to justify their actions.

The editing is pretty exquisite, and also indicative. However, it was quite messy and distracting near the end. It deprived me from being fully satisfied. Some scenes could have been so heartbreaking, but they ended up being jumbled and muddled up. On the other hand, the ending itself is quite devastating, and has all the movie's emotional impact.

I think this movie features the best use of music among the other two Wong Kar-wai's movies that I've watched. Besides that it's so moving, it expresses Yuddy's emotions and feelings, nay his psyche.

(8/10)… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

tugrul

Sep 7, 2011

Can not tie unconnected stories into a central theme. "Birds without legs" imagery is forced. Narrative is Inconsistent (use of several inner voices, addressing the audience). Caricature eccentric mother, a girl starting with a dramatic effect but ending up as a meek character...
PromisesCan not tie unconnected stories into a central theme. "Birds without legs" imagery is forced. Narrative is Inconsistent (use of several inner voices, addressing the audience). Caricature eccentric mother, a girl starting with a dramatic effect but ending up as a meek character...
Promises something but clearly over-valued.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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