‘Blossoms Shanghai’: Suit and pursuit

At a point in the premiere episode of ‘Blossoms Shanghai’, the leading man, Hu Ge’s Ah Bao, transforms into the larger-than-life Mr Bao. The metamorphosis is celebrated with an extended sequence set in front of a mirror with mood lighting.

Bao, after a first successful stock trade, is told that it is time to look the part. He ditches his rag-tag blazer and pants for fine fabric. “We want British tweed,” his mentor, Uncle Ye, declares.

As the tailor takes his measurements and the hairdresser works his scissors, the camera pans over Ge’s face, double-breasted jackets, leather shoes and silky hair — it’s a mastery fit for a Gieves & Hawkes visual campaign.

Just as the sequence concludes, Bao stands in front of the mirror. He takes an extra second to marvel at the beauty, the perfection of the workmanship. It’s a meta moment, as if director Wong Kar-wai himself is pausing to look back at the craft that has come to define his illustrious career.

‘Blossoms Shanghai’ is based on Jin Yucheng’s 2013 novel and has a controversial credit list when it comes to screenwriting. However, the actual tale of a young biz wizard’s rise in the backdrop of Chinese economic reforms in the 1990s takes a backseat to the directorial bravado.

Kar-wai’s style isn’t just present in ‘Blossoms Shanghai’; it’s a total occupation. He saturates the viewer’s senses just like the colours on his screen. (The Lunar New Year scenes will have your eyes glued.)

He drops the frames-per-second to kill urgency. That and the blend of music keep his distinctly non-linear narrative moody. Importantly, it pours — in heavy doses — nostalgia and melancholy onto the viewer.

There are two major plot points: a murder attempt and leaked insider info on a dubious stock. The plot screams thriller, but in Kar-wai’s hands, the characters scowl more than they scream.

Some scenes from ‘Blossoms Shanghai’ could be picked up and dropped into ‘In the Mood for Love’ or ‘Happy Together’ without eliciting any suspicion from casual viewers. There’s familiarity in the way the characters smile at each other, sit in silences and scorn in jealousy.

The actors also deserve credit for understanding the assignment. Ge as Mr Bao is spectacular. In a classic slower-rate frame sequence, he locks eyes with the man who rammed his car into him. It’s almost a sequence of stills, and yet, every muscle in his face ensures continuity.

Ma Yili as business partner Ling Zi goes from frenetic restaurant management to sipping beer in exhaustion with ease. Tiffany Tang is effervescent as stock trader Miss Wang, Xin Zhilei diabolical as the new madame Li Li.

Between the sprawling neon-lit Shanghai skyline and the curated flashback history lessons on the stock exchange and economic reforms, however, there’s an important question to be asked — Did Mr Bao deserve more depth? Did Li Li, for that matter?

During Mr Bao’s transformation sequence, Uncle Ye says: “The man must wear the suit, the suit mustn’t wear the man.” As the series progresses, the suit becomes a metaphor for Kar-wai’s style — luxurious and intense. Despite Ye’s warnings, it often wears the man. But when the suit is as immaculate as this one, can you really complain?