As Tears Go By poster & wallpaper

Alex Man, Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung

A tragic romantic drama centering on two street hoodlums from the city and a young woman from a small resort island.

Flixster Users

68% liked it

1,044 ratings

Critics

78% liked it

9 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 42 min.

Directed by: Kar Wai Wong

Release Date: December 31, 1989

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DVD Release Date: October 19, 2004

Stats: 195 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (195)

  • SarahG1988
    January 20, 2007
    SarahG1988
    This is Wong Kar-Wai's debut from 1988. Starring Maggie Cheung and Andy Lau. Fiited with typical 80's ambiant soundtrack and two narrtives told.

    Being a wong Kar Wai fan I've tried to watch all of his movies over the past couple of months, this has to be incredibly different t...( read more)o the others I've watched. For one thing I haven't watched A Wai film with a gangster feel to it. It was a little odd to start with but for me it did feel realistic and probably very typical to Hong Kong in the 1980's, so, Wai diffently makes a stament there. I enjoyed the hard reality of this gangster feel. I mean when watched Hollywood gangster film I don't usually feel that I can't watch what's going on on screen as it just seems very typical. What Wai does well in his debut is that the violence seems very realistic and not delibertly done in such a wy that is for Hollywood and looses the realism.

    Naturally there's no Chistopher Doyle's cinemtography in this film as it was his first but the cinempatography isn't bad but not great. Hand-held camera was used a lot so you felt like you were there in the film.

    Unfortunatly what the movie falls up upon is the love story betwwen Andy Lau's character and Maggie Cheung's. To me it does seem a bit pointless. First of alll it just doesn't seem particularly geuined, almost like a fling but perhaps it could have meant to be that what or not; I just didn't understand that bit. Some of the characters I couldn't figure out, Andy Lau had a brother then he apprently has another younger one- too confusing.

    Asides that, this is a good debut for the then 30 year old Wong Kar Wai you can diffently seen potential in this film.

    Overall worth the watch if you're a Wong Kar Wai fan, just don't expect anything outstanding as In The Mood For Love.
  • kiriyamakazou
    June 5, 2006
    kiriyamakazou
    The film is influenced by Martin Scorsese's "Mean Streets", but of course contains some moments that would later become part of Wai's signature. The main draw back for the film is that it hasn't aged well, being very much a film of the 80's. The most disappointing aspect is the t...( read more)errible repetitive 80's rock/synth soundtrack, that accompanies pretty much every scene. Thankfully after a while the music does fade into the background, and you learn to accept it. The fashions, and the gritty realism are also reminiscent of most 80's films. The lighting is also quite shocking early on in the film, as it changes between cuts during the same scenes, bright one moment and dark the next. Once the film gets going though it is hard to look away, with shockingly real violence and some well shot action set ups, such as the slow motion knife attack, and the gun down the trousers. The editing is well done (not as well done as Wai's later pieces), but slow motion is particularly well used. "As Tears Go By" never once gets boring despite its floors, and there are many, many more pros than cons, and it all adds up to a spectacular finale.
  • threefolddado
    February 25, 2008
    threefolddado
    Great first effort by Wong Kar Wai
  • patrickdol
    January 6, 2008
    patrickdol
    This film uses the era it was made to it's full advantage. It's actually a really interesting romance/gangster film, something I'd assume could only come out of Hong Kong. It definetly has one of the most intense street torture scenes I've seen.
  • eovermyang
    October 6, 2009
    eovermyang
    The romantic line and the gangster line felt disconnected at most parts. When they finally converge and begin to create dramatic conflict, the story soon ended. The movie could have been half its length.
  • maryiamab
    May 25, 2009
    maryiamab
    Dear Brother


    I am the wife of late head of state of Nigeria general sanni abacha. there is money he kept for the family before his daeth and this money is a big money and i need a good person who can handle it and who has a fear of God.



    If you can assist me to claim t...( read more)he money. Kindly send me the following informations.



    1, CONTACT ADDRESS



    2, TELEPHONE NUMBER



    3 FULL NAME.



    I hope to hear from you as soon as possible.


    Please kindly Reply me at:abachamaryiam81@yahoo.com


    Thanks



    Maryiam Abacha
  • arashxak
    December 15, 2008
    arashxak
    Wong Kar Wai's Promising debut
  • jonrmcmahon
    June 9, 2008
    jonrmcmahon
    Take My Breath Away gangster camp.
  • ncarrasco90
    April 10, 2008
    ncarrasco90
    Esperen... esta pelicula no es "Mean Streets", pero en Hong Kong? Y con romance?No importa, igual es todo... aunque las actuaciones sean muy malas...
  • HangtheDJ
    March 11, 2008
    HangtheDJ
    Wong Kar Wai's first full-length film.

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