Chungking Express

Under the neon lights of Hong Kong’s cityscape, two parallel stories explore the melancholy of lost love and the innocence of new passion. The first narrative follows Cop 223, a heartbroken policeman who projects his fate onto a collection of pineapple cans that all hold an expiration date of May 1. An encounter with a mysterious woman in a blonde wig stirs him out of his stagnancy. The second tale deals with Cop 663 and his breakup with a flight attendant, a tragedy of the heart overheard by a local snack bar employee who finds ways to cheer him up. With splashes of colour and effervescence movement, Chungking Express marked Wong Kar Wai’s breakthrough into the international distribution scene.