Se, Jie

"Se, Jie" is director Lee Ang latest meditation on celluloid on the themes of lust, love and loss. Set in World War II Hong Kong and Shanghai, the movie chronicles a group of college student activists who are no longer satisfied with their peripheral contribution to the war, namely raising money for the resistance by performing political drama on stage, decide to spend the summer to play real spies. Their goal? To kill a high level political turncoat Mr. Yee (Leung Chiu Wai) who happens to be stationed in Hong Kong. Their plan? Leading lady Wang Jiazhi (Tang Wei) would play seductress Mrs. Mak to lure Yee out of his lair and kill him. Revolution is not a dinner party. Things can go wrong do go wrong. Mr. Yee leaves Hong Kong abruptly and the plan falls apart. It isn't until years later that the plan resumes in Shanghai and gets carried out to its tragic but not unexpected ending.

Lee's films always have that exquisite quality, it's subtle but it's there. Tang when playing Wang playing Mrs. Mak always appears in beautiful Cheung Sam, or in her iconic form fitting overcoat topped with a bucket hat. You see Tang in a beautiful Cheung Sam, not a beautiful Cheung Sam on Tang. The wardrobe and the production design never overwhelm the characters. They just serve their purpose, earnestly and quietly in the background where they belong. What's not so subtle is the much talked about on screen NC-17 performance. <BS>Leung's balls are rumored to be nominated for best supporting actor, and not to be outdone, Tang's erected nipples and bushy armpits are in competition for best supporting actress.</BS> They are as erotic and acrobatic as they are repressive and melancholic. I think those are the most brutally honest sex scenes I have ever seen on big screen. Leung's Mr. Yee to Tang's Mrs. Mak is lust at first sight, but through sexual intimacy they get to reveal their naked selves to each other and to themselves. It's almost like how much do you know a person if you don't ever have sex with him? The answer is not much. In their first sexual encounter, it was almost like rape: it's forced, quick and both are partially clothed. And Mr. Yee doesn't even let himself be seen as he was doing it from behind. As the relationship progresses the dynamic changes, the last sex scene, Mrs. Mak is on top, in control, is able to put a pillow over Mr. Yee's face to do the coming while going, and if she chooses, she could have killed him by using his gun hanging on one of the bed posts. But she chooses not to. So that is it. She is done as a would be assassin. She falls for her target. In the end, Wang's forbidden love is destined to be doomed.

Many people think that Leung's performance here is underwhelming, I for one appreciate his rather stoic, understated presence. I am still mesmerized by his performance in Wong Kar Wai's "Days of Being Wild" in which Leung appears just before the end credit rolls with no dialog whatsoever. I think it's one the most beautiful movie endings. Leung, despite his size does have a screen presence, what he lacks in size he more than makes up with his eyes. He's one of the few actors that can do more with less using his eyes only. In his other performances, mostly collaborations with Wong Kar Wai, he seems to be playing superstar Leung Chiu Wai playing whatever character that he is playing. In "Se, Jie," he just plays Mr. Yee straight up, the charming superstar Leung is gone for good. Tang, as a newcomer, delivers the wide range of emotions demanded for this role and carries the movie from beginning to end. That also shows director Lee's superb direction. I have never seen Michelle Yeoh or even Chow Yun Fat that good until in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

Lee, Leung and Tang deserve Oscar nomination for their no holds barred direction and performance