Lifestyle & Entertainment

Wong Kar-Wai's The Follow Premieres Online

by Joshua Smith - May 28th, 2001

The Follow, a new film by critically acclaimed director Wong Kar-Wai, premiered on BMW Films.com last Friday. The Follow is the third installment of "The Hire" - an unprecedented web-based entertainment project that consists of five original films executive produced by filmmaker David Fincher, whose credits include such hits as Fight Club, The Game and Se7en. The innovated project is managed by LA-based multimedia entertainment company Anonymous Content, and underwritten by BMW, whose vehicles are featured in each short.

A poet of modern alienation, Wong Kar-Wai's universe is populated with characters both dark and comic, magical and existential. Wong Kar-Wai won the Best Director prize at the Cannes Film Festival for his 1997 film, Happy Together, and enchanted audiences this past year for his most recent work, In the Mood for Love. The short drama that Wong Kar-Wai has directed for this project has been equally acclaimed, with Time magazine describing the piece as "a fine, full movie in miniature, a perfect showcase for the director."

The Follow stars Clive Owen, as the elusive driver-for-hire contracted by a jealous and famous husband (Mickey Rourke) to trail his beautiful wife (Adriana Lima) whom he suspects cheating. As The Driver explains (in voice-over) the cunning and tactics of trailing another person, the film quickly moves to the heart from the mind as The Driver struggles to keep his emotional distance in this drama of mistrust and deceit.

In addition to The Follow, other films in "The Hire" series include Ambush by John Frankenheimer (Ronin) which debuted April 26th, Chosen by Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) which debuted May 10th, Star by Madonna's new beau, Guy Ritchie (Snatch,) and Powderkeg by Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu (Amores Perros). Each film stars British acting sensation Owen (Croupier) as The Driver whose mysterious character the audience follows through cryptic and dangerous situations. The films are brilliantly cast with strong supporting characters played by: Madonna (actress/recording artist), Rourke (The Pledge), Tomas Milian (Traffic), and model Lima.