unlike most lgbtq+ films, 'happy together' doesn't focus on the identity crisis that most others do (not to undermine the importance of exploring such a topic, but it's a breath of fresh air to see a different approach being taken, especially when you consider the attitudes towards homosexuality in 1990s hong kong).

what makes 'happy together' so magical is the immersion it creates: loneliness, desperation, joy, forlornness, fondness, just to name a few. vicariously, you could feel the mutual frustration between the two characters and their frustration at, not their love, but how it manifests. rather than what is said, you ponder over what could have and should have been said instead.

'do you regret being with me?'
'damn right i do. i had no regrets until i met you. now my regrets could kill me.'

the contrast of what is being said vs what is being revealed through the narration and their actions is what breaks your heart. their toxicity is undeniable, and you know that they're better off without each other, but a small part of you both longs and dreads for po-wing to say 'let's start over.' when this doesn't happen, what are you supposed to feel?

cheung and leung's acting is certainly to be rewarded. this is my first watch of cheung, and my second watch of leung (after chungking express). they act devastatingly well, with leung somehow capturing his love for po-wing that he internalises, mostly with his acts of love and concern while his lover is in slumber or out of his sight.

as always, i adore wong kar wai's fluid direction, and the cinematography alone suffices as a reason to watch this. a beautiful film.