Rouge
1987 · Movie · Not Rated · 96 min · ★ 7.4 · 78% critics
Amid the opulent teahouses of 1930s Hong Kong, a humble courtesan and a wealthy family’s wayward scion fall in love, culminating in a suicide pact. Fifty years later, her ghost returns to seek him, pulling a young modern couple into a poignant search for rekindled passion amid a sense of time slipping away.
Where to watch
Streaming on The Criterion Channel.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Original title
- 胭脂扣
- Years
- 1987
- Release date
- 1987-12-05
- Language
- CN
- Rated
- Not Rated
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Critic score
- 78/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.4/10 (88 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy Rouge if you want a romantic, melancholic Hong Kong ghost story that moves between past and present; Not for you if you dislike slow pacing or need a lighter tone—try similar mood pieces like In the Mood for Love or As Tears Go By.
Pros: exquisite melancholy; gorgeous 1930s atmosphere; radiant lead performance | Cons: slow pacing; muted modern scenes; dreary for some
Themes
- brothel
Awards & recognition
- Hong Kong Film Award — Best Film · 1989
Cast & crew
Anita Mui Yim-Fong
as Fleur
Leslie Cheung
as Chan Chen-Pang
Alex Man Chi-Leung
as Yuen
Emily Chu Bo-Yee
as Chor
Irene Wan
as Shu-Hsien
Tam Sin-Hung
as Chen-Pang's Mother
Chu Shui-Tong
as Chen-Pang's Father
Wong Yu
as Ho Hsi
Lau Kar-Wing
as Movie Director
Kara Hui Ying-Hung
as Actress Portraying Ghost
Directed by Stanley Kwan Kam-Pang