Vive L'Amour (1994)
It’s a lonely life for confused lovers.
Presentation:
If you are a fan of the Taiwanese New Wave, this underground indie film has all the characteristics of Tsai Ming-liang’s ambient style. It’s a very quiet film and any minimal dialogue only begins 30 minutes in. This is primarily a mood piece on loneliness and sexuality, but I think the biggest take away for cinephiles will be the vibes. If you are not a die hard cinema fan, this may not be the easiest watch and I’d recommend Rebels of the Neon God instead. The concept is pretty interesting but the film doesn’t do that much with it, focusing on atmosphere and feel instead.
Conclusion:
I think this film will only be for a niche group of cinephiles. It could perhaps be a powerful film that understands queer people, but I still feel films like Call Me By Your Name and Moonlight do it better. The poetic silence isn’t as appropriate here compared to Goodbye, Dragon Inn and I wasn’t moved by it. I personally felt this was a lazy film and pretended to be more substantial than it actually is will many redundant scenes. Sometimes I feel Tsai is competing with Hou Hsiao-hsien on who can make a slower movie. But you could feel something from it if you relate with confused characters.
Recommendations
It’s a lonely life for confused lovers.