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Mystery drama

Chungking Express (1996): Cast, Ratings & Plot

Chungking Express (1996) movie poster

Chungking Express is a 1996 mystery drama directed by Kar Wai Wong, starring Brigitte Lin, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Tony Leung Chiu Wai. It runs 1 hour 42 minutes. It earned 1 award nomination, including Best Foreign Film at the Spirit Awards 1997. Critics gave it 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and 78 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.9/10.

IMDb rating
7.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes
89%
award nomination
1
Metascore
78
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Chungking Express (1996) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 42m (102 min)
Director
Kar Wai Wong
Genres
Drama , Mystery , Romance
Original language
Chinese
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Chungking Express About?

The premise of Chungking Express without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Two Hong Kong police officers, heartbroken by lost loves, each grapple with their emotional turmoil in this stylish drama. One officer obsessively marks the days he expects his former girlfriend to return, while the other attempts to cope with his solitude by talking to the objects in his apartment. His life takes an unexpected turn when he meets a mysterious woman, offering a chance at new romance and connection within the bustling city.

Chungking Express Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • drug smuggling
  • hong kong
  • daydream
  • loneliness
  • spoken inner thoughts
  • hotel room
  • two stories
  • drug dealer
  • existential loneliness
  • police officer
  • expiration date
  • canned food
+38 more
  • food
  • listening to music
  • cd
  • jukebox
  • interlinked stories
  • internal monologue
  • voice over narration
  • serendipity
  • parallel story
  • multiple perspectives
  • ambiguous ending
  • falling in love
  • flight attendant
  • watching tv
  • can
  • kidnapping a child
  • dating
  • talking to furniture
  • fast food stall
  • woman wears a wig
  • heroin
  • nostalgia
  • kowloon hong kong
  • tenement
  • man with no name
  • woman wears sunglasses
  • urban setting
  • watering a plant
  • stewardess
  • east asian man
  • shopping
  • sex scene
  • cobbler the shoemaker
  • two narrators
  • male police officer
  • young man
  • male body
  • virility
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Cast & crew

Chungking Express Cast

Brigitte Lin leads the cast, with Takeshi Kaneshiro and Tony Leung Chiu Wai. Directed by Kar Wai Wong.

From the director

More from Kar Wai Wong

More films directed by Kar Wai Wong, best-rated first: In the Mood for Love, 2046, Happy Together and Fallen Angels.

Full filmography
Ratings

Chungking Express Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Chungking Express 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and 78 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.9/10.

Plot

Chungking Express Plot Summary

What happens in Chungking Express from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The film is structured around two distinct narratives, each revolving around a policeman’s romantic endeavors. Though the stories are presented one after the other and are largely separate, the characters from the second tale make fleeting appearances in the first.

Full summary

The whole story of Chungking Express, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Awards

Chungking Express Awards & Nominations

Chungking Express earned 1 award nomination, including Best Foreign Film at the Spirit Awards 1997.

1 nomination1 ceremony

Quiz

How Well Do You Know Chungking Express?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
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  5. Question 5: not answered
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  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the birthday of Cop 223?

Seen Chungking Express?

FAQ

Chungking Express FAQ: Cast, Awards & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, ratings, awards, post-credit scenes and language of Chungking Express, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Chungking Express?

Chungking Express runs 1 hour 42 minutes (102 minutes).

When was Chungking Express released?

Chungking Express was released on March 8, 1996.

Who directed Chungking Express?

Chungking Express was directed by Kar Wai Wong.

More films by Kar Wai Wong

Who is in the cast of Chungking Express?

Chungking Express stars Brigitte Lin, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Tony Leung Chiu Wai.

How is Chungking Express rated?

Chungking Express has 7.9/10 on IMDb, 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and 78 on Metacritic.

Was Chungking Express nominated for any awards?

Chungking Express received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.

Does Chungking Express have a post-credit scene?

No. Chungking Express has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is Chungking Express in?

The original language of Chungking Express is Chinese.

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