The movie goes beyond the usual romance story or period movie, and has a good insight into the historical events occurring in China in the 1920s, but also into the differences between infatuation and true love, which is the focus of the film. This is a story about human connection in a broad level: Connection between different cultures (in this case the British and the Chinese, and how Colonialism affected them) and connection at an intimate level, both with your inner self (seeing a facet of your own personality that you did not know existed), and with another person (husband and wife).
The movie was completely filmed on location and has a an authenticity to it that is difficult to find nowadays, when most movies are set in a country and filmed in a completely different one. The historical setting, the costumes, and the music create a wonderful atmosphere, very similar to the one old movies used to have. The music by Alexandre Desplat and the cinematography by Stuart Dryburgh are simply magnificent.
Regarding the acting, I initially thought that the leading couple of Naomi Watts (Kitty)-Edward Norton (Walter) weren't suited as the leading couple, but, after watching the movie, I think t they are, although Norton outshines Watts by far despite this being a role out of his comfort zone. The story would have lost authenticity if the leading actor was a super-handsome glamorous actor, which is not what men were at the time; Norton convincingly portrays the logical man of the time, right in his manners, rational, a foolish romantic, a man of honour, and not very expressive emotionally. Naomi Watts is OK in her performance, but somewhat I couldn't believe she was a woman of the 1920s in her looks, body language or performance; in fact she doesn't have any chemistry on camera with her real life husband Liev Schreiber (who plays diplomat Charlie Townsend). Toby James is very good as the sensitive and common sensed Waddington, as well as Diana Rigg as the very human Mother superior, and Anthony Wong Chau-Sang as Colonel Yu. Schreiber is just correct in his portray of Charlie, whose character is just a mere catalyst in the story. The rest of the cast is good in their respective roles.
A beautiful and enjoyable old-fashioned love story.
