This is a perplexing modern fairy-tale, in which a handsome prince fails to wake from his slumbers while his vengeful mother seeks to prevent the Cinderella she exploits at her coffee shop from finding happiness with her son’s homeless doppelgänger.
With its water and smog imagery, this virtually wordless saga is visually striking. But, by having Lee Kang-Sheng play both men in waitress Shiang-Chyi’s life, Tsai Ming-Liang raises more questions about identity and sexuality than the slender narrative can bear. It’s on much safer ground in the factory, as Tsai explores the isolation of migrant workers.