I watched this a few days ago and I’ve come back to review it because it won’t stop popping into my head. What an unexpected movie. If you go by synopsis alone (and probably for Ewan McGregor), you are going in expecting one thing and you are going to end up in another realm entirely. The first half I wasn’t really crazy about it, some parts were intriguing, compelling, a little uneasy, but I was kind of bored. But by the second half I was, without giving too much away, absolutely flabbergasted. Even though it is a European film, it is at its core a 90s East Asian film in every way, if you know what that means. By the time the movie ended, I thought I didn’t like it. But when I went to rate it, I realized, “actually maybe I kind of loved this??” It certainly evokes a response and I don’t even know if I’d recommend it to the average person but it stuck with me and the visuals and story were striking.

Calligraphy on the human body.

This must be what "art house films" are like A surprising number of breasts and bare dicks swinging, a mix of Japanese and English, tradition, calligraphy and weird writing on people. It wasn't unenjoyable (or necessarily enjoyable) it was just strange (supported by some strange scenes and sound mixing). It's the kind of movie I could expect to see Malcolm McDowell in, and certainly gave me a different perspective of Ewan McGregor (and an awareness of just how many things McGregor has been in over his career!). Its also a reminder of how Vivian Wu lives in two worlds and seems comfortable moving between them. Overall, I don't know. I suspect this wasn't made for people like me. I just can't envisage wo it was made for. In fact, I suspect I would find the back story would be more interesting than the movie itself...