Days of Being Wild (1990) [Film Review]

Days of Being Wild; or, As Minutes Go By
     I've heard that there's a kind of bird without legs that can only fly and fly, and sleep in the wind when it is tired. The bird only lands once in its life... that's when it dies.
In the world of today, Wong Kar Wai seems to be one of the most undisciplined artists out there. In the 2010s, a lot of projects helmed by the director were announced but devoted fans still await their completion. Wong Kar Wai certainly does not care about production deals or shooting schedules. Indeed, his main concern is pursuit of inspiration, thanks to which he became a renowned auteur filmmaker. As a way of coping with my personal bout of melancholy, I decided to revisit his earlier movies, and today I would like to discuss Days of Being Wild.

Release Info

Directed by: Wong Kar Wai Starring: Leslie Cheung, Carina Lau, Maggie Cheung, Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung

Language: Cantonese Original Title:  阿飛正傳 Runtime: 94 min

Synopsis
Hong Kong, 1960. Yuddy (Leslie Cheung) seduces Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung) who works at a ticket stall, but he quickly breaks up with her. While standing in defence of his adoptive mother (Rebecca Pan), he meets a cabaret dancer Mimi (Carina Lau) who falls for him. Yuddy desperately wants to know the whereabouts of his biological mother and meet her. In the meantime, police officer Tide (Andy Lau) befriends Li-zhen, and Yuddy’s friend Zeb (Jacky Cheung) develops feelings for Mimi.

2 Lonely 2 Calm
I have been meaning to review Days of Being Wild for a long time; basically, ever since I saw it in 2015, but I was never sure my words would be sufficient enough to describe the film. It was the very first Wong Kar Wai movie I have ever seen, and in my opinion, it was a challenging introduction. It is clearly visible that the director was still playing with the language of cinema, looking for his personal style.

There is little dialogue in the film, and when it is present, it feels deeply poetic yet irrelevant. Wong Kar Wai, rather than telling, is showing to the audience what happens with the story of Yuddy, a young self-destructive nonconformist, a sigma male before being sigma was mainstream, who suffers from attachment issues.

It is really hard to sympathise with the main protagonist because of the way he treats people around him. He does not want to be loved, because he had not experienced motherly love, but it is almost as if he derives pleasure in degrading people and burning bridges behind him. All of the characters who interact with him: Li-zhen, Mimi, Tide, and Zeb are victims of his fatalistic attitude. This longing for love pushes them to question their own sense of identity.

I have to say that I enjoyed this movie more after rewatching it today than eight years ago. Evidently, my sensibilities and attention span have changed, but it does not change the fact that if you want to begin your own journey through Wong Kar Wai’s filmography, Days of Being Wild is not a good place to start. The film has sublime cinematography and top-notch ambience of Hong Kong of the 1960s, but you really have to focus on the story in order to get it.

With regard to performances, Leslie Cheung is (as always) amazing as the leading man. His presence is both charismatic and mesmerising throughout the entire film. The same can be said about Carina Lau who really gave a stand-out performance as an extroverted and emotionally-charged love interest. Maggie Cheung, Andy Lau, and Jacky Cheung are memorable in their supporting roles, even though their screen time is limited.

Last but not least, I have to address the handsome elephant in the room. That is to say, this movie ends with one of the most soothing scenes in the history of cinema. We see Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as an unnamed character who prepares for a gambling night. It is incredibly comforting just watching this man filling his pockets and having a smoke in a dilapidated apartment. Undoubtedly, the scene must have served as a lead-in for In the Mood for Love and we can only wonder how that film would have looked like had it been made immediately after Days of Being Wild.

Recommendations
All things considered, if you are new to Wong Kar Wai, then be wary of this film. However, if you are an old-timer who has already been through such classics as Chungking Express, Fallen Angels, and 2046, then Days of Being Wild is a perfect choice for you. Sometimes watching Wong Kar Wai’s films out of order is more rewarding than doing it chronologically. Overall score: 7/10

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