This film is indeed a Chinese box containing some separate stories nested within the movie's frame: there's Vivian's story, there's Jean's story, and there's of course John's dramatic one, but then there's also the story of the Hong Kong island and its inhabitants and how they take the 1997 political change. I haven't seen very many Jeremy Irons films and in the ones I've seen him he plays supporting roles, but I particularly enjoyed his part in this film, especially because it seems an atypical one for him. John's friend Jim is fun to watch (see the bolero scene)although he is predictable all through. The two girls are both strong characters, even if their stories are quite different (or are they?)and I was relieved to see that their womanly instincts prevailed when it came to understanding John. All in all, "The Chinese Box" left me a very good first impression and I would recommend it to all Jeremy Irons fans.

Jeremy Iron, Ruben, Maggie are fantastic in the movie. Gong Li worked hard at it. She's got the look but I have to hold my breath every time she tries to act... It's quite exhausting to watch her act in this role. Hope it's just me.But the story writing fits perfectly with the title "China Box". You have to have enough background knowledge and sensibility to appreciate it. The movie never falls into the cliché of east-meets-the-west. Instead, it uses the historical sea-change in Hong Kong as the back drop, as the grand orchestra accompanying the extraordinary solo of the age old story of love, a man and a woman. Nothing is obvious, and nothing gives away in the middle and the tension keeps building till the very last moment. I first saw the movie when it came out in theater. But 10 years later I saw it again on tape, it blew me away like no other. I'd give it a 10 if not for the rather limited acting skill from Gong Li. There's got to be someone else out there among the 1.3 billion who can really act. Maggie can act but she certainly falls short in her natural beauty for this role, in comparison to Gong Li. One other thing I thought was bit of a drag is Maggie's almost perfect English. I thought a character from the very bottom of Hong Kong society with limited education probably would be more convincing if she has more local accent. That's my past experience with folks from Hong Kong. Only those from the privileged the class in Hong Kong would speak like her in the movie... I am so disappointed by the featured review on IMDb here. Because in the past this web site has consistently picked a more sensible review for other movies I ran into. I felt rather compelled to write something to clear the bad rap of this great movie, as much as I can. For those who cares, Maggie Cheung was in another great movie "In the Mood for Love" (2000). But that movie was more limited in scope and more nuanced in its presentation, a more oriental romance. This movie clearly more European is breadth and depth in its attempt. Some might find the political overtone - a rather negative focus on the 1997 handover (suicide, etc), a bit predictable and cliché. But in this particular movie it does set the mood for the over all theme of the movie - after all, this is a rather a sad romance. No happy endings for any one. Only human spirit triumph. For that, I thought the movie title is a bit off actually. IMHO, China Box is only a clever device that is seemingly simple but capable of endless intrigue and twist. That title would be much more fit for a thriller. This one I thought is more about the ultimate triumph of the unyielding human spirit for truth, for real meaning, and for love as the word originally meant, overcoming all odds, even the limitation of one's unavoidable mortality.It's a master piece.

I've been to Hong Kong twice and the way it is portrayed in this film is dead on. the hustle and bustle, street hawkers, apartment interiors, the faces, traffic volume are all there.this is definitely a love story with a twist. Jeremy Irons is a British actor so he lacks the pretentiousness of Americans and so can correctly portray the pathos needed for that of a man deeply in love with a woman who is holding out for something better; until it is too late.Gong Li is the quintessential barfly/escort trying to marry into a better social position, but who *finally* realizes it is not to be and then turns to the man who does want to marry her only to discover he is so jaded (no pun intended) that he at first harshly spurns her. she even resorts to attempting to seduce him in her barmaid persona but of course that doesn't work either.Maggie Cheung was fantastic as the other woman in his life, a street person who likewise has a troubled past.this film has an exceptionally strong message about the trials of life and how we have to make the most of the successes and victories that do come our way. a must see for anyone intrigued by life in modern China. and anywhere in the world for that matter.

A imperfect film to my tastes, but definitely worth watching for two elements, the French connection and the enfolding of stories.In the sixties, we were blessed with a flood of highly person films, some of which embodied a sense of meaningless angst, conveyed in a rough, expressionistic style. French cinema is moribund now, but the tradition has been revived by Hong Kong art films. This film stays still by moving, focuses on characters by highlighting the city.Here, the effort is focused on a modern obsession, the trustworthiness of the narrative. So we have a film about stories and storytelling. Vivian's story haunts her; she has helped build a story for Chang which brings him success but her ruin (because of her old story).Irons plays a man paid to tell "the story" on Hong Kong, who realizes the current story is empty and the "new" story (by the great inventors of history, the communists) will differ only superficially.OOPS! Spoiler warning. Stop now if concerned.He is given a story about his death (is it true?). He tracks down Jean who tells two stories. Is the first true? Then we get the story about her jilting and attempted suicide. This is brought into question as well. And we never get the story we wonder about, how her scar came to be.Vivian spins an alternate identity as a whore, in order to pierce the many-yeared barrier between her and Irons. You really should see this film together with "French Lieutenant's Woman." In both cases, a fiction reveals truth, in both, Irons is the hapless victim. That is lush, this is bare. That references French Impressionism, this English Colonialism (think about the confluence) but the dynamic is the same, as is the notion of enfolded time and relative truth.Worth seeing.