Lust, Caution

[eVasiege]

This is a Chinese movie that came out last year, but I just watched it and I must say, wow. If there were any movie deserving of an NC-17 rating, this would be it, and whats surprising is was produced for Asian audiences which typically are more reserved in terms of sexually explicit material in television, movies etc. Its basically borderline pornography. Not surprising though as it was directed by Ang Lee who has been known to push the envelope in his movies. However, the scenes are central and essential in developing the other part of the plot (unlike 99% of American movies with random sex scenes) that involves the innocent university student which gets caught up in a movement to assassinate someone who is working close with the Japanese during their WWII occupation of China. She eventually has to get close to him to make him vulnerable for attack.

It has created a shit load of controversy in China obviously, and was banned from the mainland soon after. Now there have been rumors of banning the female actor herself (Tang Wei) from the mainland or at least blacklisted by the SARFT (a commercial she was payed to be in has already been canceled) which is sad because the general response of audiences, particularly in China and Taiwan, have been extremely positive which immediately propelled her to 1337 status. Anyways, as a dark "romantic drama" its the best I have seen in awhile. Anyone else seen it before?

[Groover]

Se, jie (2007)

Going to check it out~

[Ham n Cheese]

I saw the sex scenes and didn't think they were a big deal or deserving of nc-17

[eVasiege]

Originally Posted by Ham n Cheese

I saw the sex scenes and didn't think they were a big deal or deserving of nc-17

I didn't think they were outrageous or that big of a deal either, or saying it should be NC-17, but its the furthest I have seen any mainstream movie go. Except maybe Eyes Wide Shut.

[Szlia]

I am thorn about this movie because it really made me very uneasy and haunted me for several days while being very disgusting in what it says and what it does to its characters.

The one thing I am sure of is that one of the theme by Desplat is brilliant (the triple triplet one that is notably in that bus scene after the theater scene... tatata-tatata-tatata...)

[eVasiege]

Yea, the music was great as well.

[GrobbeeTrull2.0]

My girlfriend and I rented it - we were thoroughly weirded out... and we're even kind of into some of that stuff. Still... weirded out.

[Goofy]

yeah this is 1 of the movies where i felt the sex scenes were essential to plot development and not just random.

[Dom Devore]

I watched this last night after reading this thread, and while I wasn't as freaked out by it as some of you have mentioned, I did really enjoy it. For a while into the movie, I was wondering how it could possibly earn such controversy as evasiege mentioned, but once the scenes started to pop up I was very surprised at how far they went for it being a Chinese production.

Very nice score and some damn fine acting. I felt the ending could have been presented a bit better though.