In Wong Kar Wai's “2046,” Chow Mo-Wan plays a Bogart-looking, vagabond-like writer interested only in getting by and swinging chicks. Most of Chow’s life goes something like this: he meets a lady and then bones her. Then he meets another lady and bones her too. Then he meets another lady and guess what? He bones her as well. After a few meaningless relationships, Chow meets Bai Ling, who lives in hotel room 2046, conveniently located across from Chow’s room. Bai Ling eventually falls in love with Chow, but like his many previous affairs it doesn’t last long, as the ladies’ man soon descends into his routine of one-night stands, gambling and drinking.
The only true love in Chow's life comes not from real life, but from his science fiction novel about a Japanese man falling in love with a female android in the year 2046 (the year and title of Chow’s fiction are inspired by none other than the room number across from his own). Needless to say, the android doesn’t love him back because she/it lacks emotions.
I had my fair share of bizarre movies, but this one easily ranks up there on my list of “Huuuhhh?” movies. It might take me a couple of more viewings of “2046” for me to fully understand the underlying meaning of Wong Kar Wai’s ambiguous plot.
But it does not take a PhD in Freudian psychology to piece together Wong’s hidden message/theme. At first glance, it seems like Chow’s countless unsubstantial relationships underscores Wong’s message of incapacity of constructing true relationships and the agony that goes along with it. By writing about a man in love with an android, Chow is subconsciously establishing the notion of such impossible love and perhaps, his real-life state of impotence for love and long-term relationships. On the heels of “In the Mood for Love,” Wong Kar Wai once again shows the idea of unfulfilled desires and ultimately, life’s disappointments.
If what I just wrote sounds confusing, you are right. But you can think of it this way: Wong is showing the painful feeling you get when you are too afraid to ask that hot girl out; or worse, when you have countless affairs in hopes of being emotionally detached because of your past failed relationships.
It takes skill to make a film of this caliber; one that combines the elements of cheap sex, cyberpunk androids, and breathtaking 1960’s scenes, into a story about painful breakups and failed relationships. “2046” is one of those movies that make you go “WTF?!?!” when the credits roll, and makes you want to watch it a second time to completely appreciate and comprehend the movie.
B
