Vive L’Amour (1994)

Vive L’Amour (1994)

Loneliness and desire intertwine in the heart of a bustling city plagued by urban alienation

6.9

Movie

Taiwan
Mandarin
Drama
1994
TSAI MING-LIANG
Chen Chao-jung, Lee Kang-sheng, Lu Yi-Ching
118 min

What it's about

Three lonely young denizens of Taipei unknowingly share an apartment: Mei, a real estate agent who uses it for her sexual affairs; Ah-jung, her current lover; and Hsiao-kang, who's stolen the key and uses the apartment as a retreat.

The take

Vive L'Amour is a slow-building film that dives deep into the loneliness and longing of urban life, weaving together the lives of three lost souls searching for connection and meaning in a bustling city. Though the film's slow pace and minimal dialogue brilliantly convey the characters' inner turmoil, there are times when the (probably purposeful) lack of direction doesn't quite land. You might also find that director Tsai Ming-liang's evocative cinematography does not hold up this sparse yet bloated plot. Still, Vive L'Amour encapsulates the signature solemn air of Taiwanese cinema, presenting a contemplative exploration of human relationships and urban alienation. It may be polarizing, but one thing is for sure: it will leave you introspective and moved by its profound examination of the human condition.

Comments

Add a comment

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

The Breaking Ice (2023)

Three lost souls find a warm connection in this wintry, delicate drama

7.0

Lust, Caution (2007)

A wartime spy falls for a collaborator in this erotic espionage drama

7.3

A Brighter Summer Day (1991)

A rich, melancholy tale of 1960s youth in Taiwan

9.0

Kaili Blues (2015)

A hypnotic piece of slow cinema that disintegrates the boundaries between past and present

8.0

Happy Together (1997)

A Cantonese romance that explores love amidst heartbreak

7.0

Dear Ex (2018)

A heart-wrenching tale of love and hate

7.4

A City of Sadness (1989)

With A City of Sadness, Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien paints a picture of a society on the brink

8.8

Farewell My Concubine (1993)

Queer film classic and landmark of Chinese cinema returns to screen 30 years later in 4K restoration

9.2

Yi Yi (2000)

Life goes on, beautifully and tragically, in Edward Yang’s magnum opus

9.0

Rebels of the Neon God (1992)

A tale of yearning and obsession bathed in a melancholic atmosphere

8.4

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2024 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.