I usually am not a fan of musicals. There are a few instances, though, in which the story told is so beautiful and the acting so engrossing, I forget the genre and let myself be absorbed in the story told via music.

Perhaps love is one of those instances. The movie by Peter Chan has been compared to Baz Luhrmann's "Moulin Rouge" and indeed it shares with this last the same theatrical flavour, between reality and dream. One can't help be reminded of classical operas such as La Traviata or Tosca, with elements of melodrama and tragic mingled with grand musical pieces and modern settings.

With the help of the music, this movie could be watched without subtitles and still be understood by those who don't know Mandarin. This goes to the director and the actors credit.

The plot is simple and very classical, but the style is new and the music original. Not an everyday movie by all means, but one which will linger in your memory.