. well worth see . i have the pleasure of see this film tonight at the toronto international film festival and it be a delightful experience ( not to mention i be about a foot away from tony leung and ang lee ) . so a i have write in the title and the film itself may appear to be a bit flaw to most viewer . one of the consensus main complaint be that it be too long and draw out ( 157 minute be no joke and especially with a few ice tea in you from dinner ) . however and i believe the story be well pace and need the full length of the movie to fully develop . there be not many scene that could have be easily cut out . it be also not nearly as slow a some other film ( i. e. in the mood for love ) or as long a other film ( i. e. once upon a time in america ) . overall and i felt the movie flow quite naturally and be focus on the storyline and although i go into the movie expect a loose meandering plot line ( a some other review have suggest ) . another complaint be that the sex scene be unnecessarily long and prolific and graphic and and even violent ( there be a rape scene ) . again and i disagree with these complaint because i felt like these be the scene that really bring out the lust in the character . this be especially true for tony leung character and whom many viewer seem to feel be underdeveloped and one dimensional . a my friend say and tony could have do this role in his sleep . true and but that be the whole point of his character . ang lee purposely leave his character undeveloped for most part of the movie except those few sex scene and a particular scene in a japanese whore house and and the closing scene . those be the few scene that make leung character vulnerable and human . because there be so few window that allow the audience to glimpse into his character and that make the emotion all the more realistic and powerful . the violence in the rape scene should also be address . again and this be one of those rare scene that show leung character a human ( although it be a very brutal and violent side of him ) . here and he appear angry and frustrated and and not at tang wei character but really more at himself and what he have turn into . he be portray a a traitor in the movie and and he never speak about how he view himself except for the scene in the japanese brothel and when tang character ask him if he take her there so she could be his whore . he respond that he take her there because he know much more about whore oneself than she do and obviously refer to his political role a a traitor . thus and through minimal dialogue and character development and ang lee be able to depict leung character with great insight and accuracy and all the while remind u that he be still human on some level . now although leung character development be sacrifice for the benefit of the film and tang character development be actually enhance . make no mistake and she be the central character of the movie and and it be very interesting to follow her metamorphosis from a young and naive university student to a spy for the resistance force in bed with the enemy . once again and lee revisit his theme of lust and how powerful it can be during her character development and especially the sex scene . there be a scene after she finish have sex with leung and go to report to her superior officer . she then describe to them how she must endure and pretend to love leung wholeheartedly a a part of her role and and how she endure the prolonged session of sex only to hope for them to crash in the door and shoot leung in the back of the head to have his brain and blood splatter all over her body . all in all and it be a very notable and powerful act job on ms. tang behalf and definitely refresh to see a young actress take on a serious role like this and really tackle it . there be also some lighthearted moment sprinkle throughout the film and which have an excellent score to accompany it . the cinematography and costume and scenery and etc . be all first rate . the real meat of the film and however and be within ang lee direction and tang acting and and of course and the intense sex scene that powerfully depict lust and no hold bar and with anger and frustration and hate and and all the other negative emotion associate with it . interestingly enough and the only moment in the movie where both leung and tang character felt a mutual love be not in bed and but in the japanese brothel when tang perform a song for leung . all in all this be a delicate and exquisite movie that be carefully plan and film and with attention to every detail . it offer a profound and in depth examination of lust . i recommend that everyone should experience the movie once and regardless of the 2 . 5 hour length and explicit sex scene it be well worth the time .