Dangerous Liaisons

The oft-filmed 18th-century French novel of seduction by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos adapts astoundingly well to the Far East in this atmospheric Chinese-Korean co-production, set in a gilded-era 1931 Shanghai, where a westernized upper class dwells in splendor while storms of war and revolution gather in the distance. Wealthy playboy Xie Yifan (Jang Dong-Gun) is a notorious ladykiller, but he never stops thinking of glamorous businesswoman Jieyu Mo (Cecilia Cheung), seemingly his amoral match in every way. Mo agrees to sexually surrender to Xie if he succeeds in heartlessly wooing and bedding a chaste widow (Zhang Ziyi). And, giving herself a comparable challenge, Mo takes on an assignment to destroy the star-crossed love blossoming between an artist from the lower classes and a teenage heiress who is promised in an arranged marriage. Of course, tragedy ensues. Known for his romantic films, South Korean director Jin-ho Hur skillfully steers his Chinese ensemble cast in this lush and entertaining big-budget production. Highly recommended. (C. Cassady)