ang lee lust and caution get a lot of negative review in the u . i be shock . i always think lee and of all people and could convey the nuance of chinese culture to a western audience . i admit i love this movie and a i do all his work and except the hulk . and i be not imply you have to give it the thumb up because it win the golden lion . however and after read dozen of review from mainstream medium in north america and i have a strong feeling that most critic fail to understand the movie not only the subtlety and but even some of the plot . of course and the two be often interconnect . rex reed of the new york observer call mr yee silly because he assume she be oblivious to her husband tryst with other woman . this couldn not be far from the truth . from how she react to her husband emotional breakdown in the last scene and it be obvious she be in the know . there be chinese wife who feign ignorance of their husband affair and and this be probably something an american film critic can not grasp . shouldn not she be throw a tantrum . they might ask . rex continue represent neither of the two star look like theyre have much fun . i wonder what movie he be watch . of course they be not have fun . this be not a romantic comedy . the lady be scheme to kill him and and he be figure out whether she be another beautiful assassin send his way . they be both walk on razor edge and which be not a fun activity . most critic call the movie a spy thriller without realize the multiple layer of the story . it be mostly psychological and with the two lead constantly test each other and use a language rich in undertone . almost every line have so much texture it could take a few more line to decipher . many see a resemblance with film of similar plot and such a paul verhoeven black book and hitchcock notorious . but they fail to see the link to previous lee masterpiece such a sense and sensibility and brokeback mountain . think of it . lust be sensibility while caution be sense . both lead and even some of the support character have to maintain a life of caution for self survival . when they succumb to lust or passion and they pay the ultimate price . the three sex scene receive such widespread misinterpretation that trim them might not be the terrible idea it should be . people get so carry away with the s and m and acrobatic coupling that they forget to detect the symbolic meaning . the scene epitomize their relationship and from domination and to distortion and to harmony . that something a simple head shot could not convey . and it do not necessarily imply the lady love to be torture . that would be the same a say she be a gold digger who fall for a precious diamond . the definite moment when she fall for him be at the japanese club when he reveal his weakness . ( he have a hunch his future a a collaborator be doom . ) she have a soft spot not for his power and money and but for the latent humanity he finally lay bare . the big stone just confirm his feeling for her and in her mind . american critic be quick to pick up the clue of hollywood movie that appear in the meticulously portray old shanghai and have find an allusion to hitchcock notorious and but nobody seem to have notice that mr yee every move be watch by his secretary and who know his lover secret identity and will probably bring about his downfall . human emotion writ large can transcend boundary . it be the nicety that cause cultural misunderstanding .