This is Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai's first attempt with Hollywood, and he actually pulled it of without losing any integrity. People who have seen Chungking Express and In The Mood For Love will instantly recognize the style and themes.
New York girl Norah Jones gets her heart broken, and seeks the company of café owner Jude Law. She decides to go away to get away from her pain, and in her travels south, she comes across different colourful characters, until she finally returns to New York.
That sounded pretty dull, and actually it kinda is. Norah Jones might be an amazing singer, but she sure is a drab (but cute) actress, and Jude Law is, well Jude Law. What really boosts the film is the characters that Jones meet on her travels.
In Memphis she meets David Strathairn (you know his face, not his name), who gives an excellent performance as a drunken, sad cop, and Rachel Weisz his wife, who looks more stunning than ever, and does a great job as the part of a southern femme fatale. In Nevada she meets Natalie Portman, who plays the part of a somewhat dangerous card player, she also looks gorgeous as ever.
It's a very aesthetic, sensual film, which is beautifully shot. It features a lot of Wai's trademarks, like the slow motion sequences and the erotic food analogies. Cat Power (Chan Marshall), who appears in a tiny role, supplies the beautiful music, together with Norah Jones herself.
8/10
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