Wayne Wang's Hollywood success includes romantic comedies such as "Maid in Manhattan," starring Jennifer Lopez and Ralph Fiennes. However, his most intelligent and heartfelt films have to be those that connect with his roots. Wang is among the first Chinese-born filmmakers to establish a significant presence in Hollywood. His films, often produced independently, explore contradictions related to contemporary Asian-Western culture and domestic life. Some of his most notable works include the literary adaptation of Amy Tan​'s "The Joy Luck Club" (1993), "Chinese Box" (1997), and "A Thousand Years of Good Prayers" (2007).

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Wang is well-suited to make "Chinese Box," a metaphorically provocative film set against the backdrop of the historical handover in 1997. The protagonist, John, is a British journalist living in Hong Kong who enjoys carrying his camera to capture interesting scenes of the city as it approaches the pivotal moment. John's love affair with China runs much deeper than just reporting and photographing street scenes. He has fallen in love with Vivian, a woman he knows from Beijing who has a jaded past and is now in Hong Kong, eager to secure her future by marrying a vain businessman. John also encounters Jean, a local street wanderer with a scarred face, who seems to be both enjoying and suffering. Very soon John must confront his own confusion and face life challenges ...

Roger Elbert, who gave the film a thumbs-up back in 1998 said: "I have always been drawn toward stories of exile and expatriation, of people living ... in strange lands. I enjoy their bittersweet longing for other places and other friends." The subtle performances of Jeremy Irons and Gong Li make this movie worth it alone. The music was hauntingly beautiful. The film is an intellectually stimulating and thought-provoking exploration of love and loss which apophatically points towards a deeper reality.

Film

Chinese Box

Directed by

Wayne Wang​ 王颖

Written by

Jean-Claude Carrière

Larry Gross

Paul Theroux

Wayne Wang

Cinematography

Vilko Filac

Music by

Graeme Revell​

Language

English, Chinese with English subtitles

Starring

Jeremy Irons​

Gong Li​ 巩俐

Maggie Cheung​ 张曼玉

Michael Hui Koon-man​ 许冠文