It's definitely weaker than the book. Looks like they tried to cover every aspect of the story as it is told in the book, but ended up cramming all sequences into the movie. The final escape is the most exciting and crucial part of the book with all the thoughts on freedom wrapped around it, however it's not covered at all in the movie.
A true gem of Chinese cinema. Leslie Cheung's top performance ever, and Gong Li is undeniably impressive. The way Leslie Cheung uses his body and how he alters his voice to reflect Dieyi's rather feminine character is incredible. We also get a chance to see You Ge, another very talented actor. My favorite movie of all times. I'm pretty sure nothing can surpass this one.