Watch Everlasting Regret

Everlasting Regret is a 2005 drama film directed by Stanley Kwan and based on the novel of the same name by Wang Anyi. The film tells the story of a woman named Qiyao, played by Sammi Cheng, as she navigates love, loss, and cultural change throughout China's tumultuous 20th century. The movie begins in the 1940s with Qiyao as a young girl living in Shanghai. She dreams of becoming a famous singer and falls in love with a musician named Li Wang, played by Tony Ka Fai Leung. However, their romance is cut short when Li Wang is forced to leave Shanghai for Hong Kong. Qiyao is devastated and decides to leave her hometown to follow him.

As Qiyao travels to Hong Kong, she meets a gangster named Xiao Jun, played by Jun Hu, and eventually becomes his mistress. She enjoys a lavish lifestyle, but her heart remains with Li Wang, who she reconnects with years later in Hong Kong. However, their reunion is soured by the realization that Li Wang is now married with children.

Throughout the film, Qiyao is forced to adapt to various changes in politics and culture in China. She experiences the Japanese occupation of Shanghai, the Chinese Civil War, and ultimately the Cultural Revolution, which causes her to lose everything she has worked to obtain.

One of the most striking aspects of Everlasting Regret is the way in which it portrays the lives of Chinese women during this era. Qiyao is a complex and multifaceted character, who defies societal expectations and forges her own path in life. Her relationships with Li Wang and Xiao Jun are both complicated and emotional, showcasing the difficulties of love in a time of war and political upheaval.

The film also features stunning cinematography, which captures the beauty and the chaos of Shanghai and Hong Kong throughout the decades. The attention to detail in the costumes and set design is impressive, transporting viewers back in time to a world that is both familiar and foreign.

Overall, Everlasting Regret is a captivating and emotional drama that takes viewers on a journey through China's recent past. The performances by Sammi Cheng, Tony Ka Fai Leung, and Jun Hu are all superb, and the film's themes of love, loss, and resilience are sure to resonate with audiences from all walks of life.