Infernal Affairs (2002)

Directors: Wai Keung Lau & Siu Fai Mak
Starring: Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Eric Tsang, Kelly Chen, Sammi Cheng

* * *

This film reminds me a hipper Michael Mann film. You've got your two main guys on either side of the law (or maybe they're on both sides), Andy Lau and Tony Leung doing undercover work. Lau has loyalty to the Triads, but he's infiltrated the police. Tony Leung is an undercover agent who's been in deep cover for ten years in the Triad. Infernal Affairs picks up as both sides discover they've got moles and start to close in on Lau and Leung. Yeah, there's some plot about the Triad making a big drug purchase and the cops trying to stop them, but all that's a McGuffin for a story about the schizophrenic lives of mole agents. To return to the similarities to Michael Mann films: we've got the mutual respect/co-dependency between the law enforcers/breakers (see Mann's Heat); we've got spouses/girlfriends playing prominent roles in the narrative; we've got the city-as-character theme (you get mighty friendly with a particular building in Affairs).

Is it good? It's not bad script-wise, and with guys like Lau and Leung playing to two leads you've got yourself a damn fine movie. In the interest of full disclosure, however, I think Tony Leung is one of the best actors in the world today, and I pretty much like everything I've seen him in. To be fair, the man surrounds himself with great talent--like one of my favorite directors, Wong Kar-Wai. Infernal Affairs made a pretty big splash when it came out, garnering several Hong Kong Academy Award equivalents and two sequels (so far). Hollywood took notice, as they've been doing to the Asian film market in general for the past few years, and is remaking the film using the same title with no release date announced yet. Should you pick it up? Sure, if you can find it. If not, go watch Chungking Express starring Tony Leung and the ultra-adorable Faye Wong doing her Jean Seberg Breathless impression by Wong Kar-Wai. The two films are really dissimilar but hell, if you can't see Leung in one role, see him in a Wong Kar-Wai film.

July 10
computer, early afternoon

* * *

D