With Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings a success (as of this article, it’s made $90 million domestically), people are getting familiar with actors they may have not seen before. One being Tony Leung. Though Leung is probably new to many American audiences, Leung has had a long history in film in China. He’s considered one of the greatest actors in Hong Kong and for good reason. With films like In The Mood for Love, Hero, and more, Leung is an actor we should all familiarize ourselves with.
Happy Together
The film I’d like people to go watch is the 1997 Wong Kar-wai directed film, Happy Together. I remember seeing this film in a film class in college. It stars Leung and Leslie Cheung. Happy Together is a really beautiful, art-film/noir-style movie that centers around Leung and Cheung’s tumultuous relationship. The movie centers completely around Leung and Cheung, both when they’re together and when they’re separate. It’s a look at two individuals trying to make a romance work, when both know how toxic their relationship is.
A Great Tony Leung Movie
While both Cheung and Leung did phenomenal jobs, it was Leung’s character I felt the sorriest for. It was clear that he loved Cheung’s character, but considering how wild and how much of a loose cannon Cheung was, Leung’s character was destined to always be stuck in a verbal and physically abusive relationship. This is something Leung conveys very well – gripping at your emotions as you hope Leung can know his own self-worth and understand how much better he can do than the hurt Cheung’s character had to offer.
While all of Wong Kar-wai’s movies are great, I highly suggest Happy Together. Not only is it great for Kar-wai fans, but if you’re just discovering Leung, I suggest checking it out. It probably was the first movie I saw with Leung and even though it’s been ten years since I was in that film class, the movie has stuck with me.
Rating: 4.5/5
Happy Together is currently available on HBO Max and if you have a moment, check it out. You can see Leung’s continued perfection displayed in his acting in a must-see movie.
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