Norah Jones stars in Wong Kai-war’s first English-language film with another singing sensation, Chan Marshall (a.k.a Cat Power). Of course, them having no prior acting experience, the movie showcases the prowess of David Strathairn, Rachel Weisz, Natalie Portman, and yes, even Jude Law.

When Jude Law performs really well, he could blow your mind. When he’s not doing good, well, it’s better to just turn off the TV. In this film, I thought he did marvelous (the accent was painful but he tried. At least, I think he tried) but he character was just paper-thin. Strathairn is still splendiferous after “Good Night and Good Luck”. His character, Arnie, will tug you heartstrings very hard it’ll be hard to breath for a moment. He worked well with Rachel Weisz. Maturity sits well with Natalie Portman. Admittedly, their story is far more interesting than Jones’. Her story could have been explored in ways. She wasn’t so bad but the thing is she was over-shadowed by her supporting cast. Maybe, Jones’ constant hovering was a technique to cover her lack of ability to act.

Slow-motion sequences and flattering lighting make everything look better than reality ever could. I thought that the visual appeal was mesmerizing and the mood was enchanting all because of the exquisite color scheme and dreamy languid music. At times, the complete silence works magnificently and in harmony with the plot.

Still, there’s something wrong with it. No, the plot wasn’t shallow. I get what Kai-war wanted to say: the gaps between tangible distances of two people can easily be closed, but as for the emotional ones, it can be miles apart. We need to see those from a distance and from various angles. The pacing was okay, it allows the viewer to absorb what was going on. Was it the dialogue? I think so. Dialogue can be a cliché, but there are those who can make cliché work. This is not it. From what I’ve heard, it’s not Wong Kai-war’s best and that he was, and can do so much better than this.

It’s a mixed bag. It’s another “Silk”. I don’t love it enough to rave about it (Except maybe for that sweet kiss at the end) and it’s not bad to make me hate it. My movie radar is going haywire. I’m off to watch “The Darjeeling Limited” at last. And maybe I can finish “August Rush” tonight, too. Please, no more “Silk”-like movies.