This might not be germane to the blog, but I'll put it in anyway. So I saw this film on dvd yesterday. It's in Mandarin (Taiwanese) but IMDB says it's a Hong Kong movie. Not sure where the credit goes, but it was a treat. I had expected this to be regular romantic comedy which started nowhere and didn't get far. My expectations were exceeded.
I'll try to stay away from spoilers. The film is set in a music school (or is it a talent school with a music department?). How many films have a script based on an innocent love, a misunderstanding, and then redemption. But 'Secret' stays fresh and engaging throughout. Mostly due to some good acting and an outstanding score. Oh and I should mention, lead actor Jay Chou also wrote and directed the film, in addition to composing the music. Some talent!
Boy meets girl in music school. The girl has a secret. When his mistake breaks her heart, she leaves and goes very far away. She comes back on his graduation day to hear him play, and when she leaves once more, he follows her. It won't make it to the classics' list, but it is a tastefully rendered little film, with sparkling performances and a music score which is already lodged firmly in my mp3 player.
Jay Chou's first directorial venture shows a talent for creating emotional depth in characters, framing captivating scenes, being understated and tasteful, and matching the score to the visuals exceptionally well. There were several logical problems with the script but in the context of the effort, I'd rather just overlook them. The film had shades of the video of 'Take on Me' (A-ha) and 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind', and probably other films made on similar themes. It's still pretty original and sincere and definitely worth a look.
A link to the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8lkluGi97s
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