The Intimate Lover (2005)

I never realized how given to fairy tales many Hollywood films were until I started watching Asian cinema.

Films from this region can be so painfully true to life, not prone to sugarcoat or providing even the narrowest of escape from the unpredictability and cruelty of human existence. There's no compromise. I don't know what to make of it. I both love it and hate it.

The Intimate Lover poignantly unveils our contrary nature as human beings. When it comes to matters of the heart, we want security and stability, but also a constant supply of that heady rush of new love, of being in love and seeing the stars in our lover's eyes. But it's impossible to attain both at the same time, with the same partner for the long haul.

So where does that leave us? Pretty much between a rock and hard a place.

To not chase that high is to commit yourself to a life of probable unfulfillment and what ifs, and to chase it would be like chasing a rainbow. You'll be going around in circles. If you leave one partner for another just to experience the high of being in love, eventually you'll end up back where you started with the same irrational need to begin the process all over again.

So really that sweet, intoxicating love we all want to experience can only last for a lifetime in our memories; and what this film imparts on us is that it's better to experience that love and end it while you're still on a high rather than let it wane from the onset of familiarity. It is the memory of this intoxicating love that will cradle us as we're delivered into the bosom of death.

It's a powerful message, if a little depressing.

All in all, though, this was a good exploration of the human condition. I think the actors did a good job, especially the female lead. I was happy to see some good physicality between the characters. None of this brushing of the lips nonsense or people who are supposed to be intimate acting like strangers around each other.

I've seen where this film has been described as "erotic". Perhaps by Asian standards, but this was just an average film to me. Explicit, yes, but erotic, not really. Because of the subject matter the film attempts to analyze they HAD to show that level of intimacy between the characters. To not do so would have been unrealistic. When you meet someone and you fall in love with them, you want to be intimate with them. Film, being a visual medium, has to show that intimacy to strengthen the story being told, otherwise the movie would have defeated its own purpose.

I must admit even though I had an idea where the movie was headed, and was okay with it, I held a small hope for a different ending. What can I say? I am a romantic. I know how life works. I know we're powerless to its whims. But I don't need to be reminded of that constantly in my entertainment. Be that as it may, however, I'm glad no one had a terminal illness. No one got hit by a truck. No one died or was dying. Thank goodness.

The ending was appropriate, poignant, but not gut wrenching. If you're in the mood for a film that will make you think and or spur an intellectual conversation afterwards, this is a good choice.

Lees verder

so umm this is better for single people since we are free and can have these chances. the temptation is just too much and the very last part in the taxi is one i have experienced wanting to get out and run but dint and regretted but anyway nice movie. i dint like the girl much but the boy was easy on the eyes and that butt... at least they dint have bad kissing scenes, most of the ones ave seen are soo bad it ruins everything. it also seemed like a situation that could happen to a woman who is spoken for and this girl just went with it. i dint see the fears of a woman whos been with one man for seven years suddenly with another man. thats the part that dint seem real. usually they would be fidgety and reserved and show more emotions of wanting but scared thus more chemisty...just saying

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Unforgetable Memory of Love and Passion

A story of love and passion. Two souls that meet and share a day together. One a broke mystery Guy and the other a Girl about to get married to a different man she doesn’t love. I don’t think this is an everyday occurrence, but they made you feel the raw emotions of it all. Sung Hyun Ah is as sexy as they come and she played the part of Girl perfectly with passion that will make your heart pound. Jo Dong Hyuk also did a great job portraying Guy the mystery heart throb.

You almost feel you shouldn’t be watching these two as they love each other and share their one and only day together. Their chemistry was through the roof. As with most one night (day) stands, things come to and end. But every once in a while you touch something special that will leave a memory forever.

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Love or lust at first sight

We meet an attractive girl about to be married to her fiance. They have been together for 7 years and they have lost the spark and heady rush of love.

An attractive stranger, whose business has just failed and he tells us is leaving for Zanzibar the next day, flirts with our FL. She responds to the attention and his childlike recklessness. Their actions lead to making love in an empty building. Thus begins a 24 hour sexual adventure with both parties giving no details about their identities.

This dangerous liaison explores a no holds barred encounter that is liberating because of its finite time. Even when the fiance is confronted with her infidelity we are shown his casual acceptance, hinting at his own acceptance that affairs will occur in a long term marriage.

During their encounter the girl tries to walk away and return to her more rational self, however, the heady excitement of sex with a good looking and willing stranger over rules her and causes her to return each time.

As with most brief fantasies, as the departure time begins to encroach, doubts and longings are experienced by both parties.

Their motives are not explained and perhaps were not fully understood by them either. The ending has a poignancy that is depicted by the drawing of their hands on the park bench.

We are left with the question 'what if' and are free to interpret how we may have handled the affair either as; the stranger, the unfaithful partner or the cuckolded fiance.

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