Finding Mr. Right : Review

Chinese movies are totally new to me. The last thing I watched was a Chinese television series called ‘Love o2o’ which was a commercial success. Because of my unfamiliarity in Chinese films, I decided to start with a rather comfortable genre- Romantic Comedy. Although it didn’t have the greatest ratings it was a good start to my watching of Chinese films. So here goes!

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Country of origin: China, Hong Kong

Language: Chinese, English

Directed by: Xue Xialou

Written by: Xue Xialou

Starring: Tang Wei, Wu Xiubo

Music: Peter Kam

Released: 14 February 2013 (Hong Kong) , 21 March 2013 (China)

Duration: 122 minutes

Wen Jiajia (Tang Wei) is pregnant with the child of her boyfriend. He is an illegal businessman who is already married. She travels to the United States and decides to deliver her child in an illegal maternity centre there, so that she could deliver the child secretly and also gain an American citizenship for the baby. She is picked up by a driver, Frank (Wu Xiubo). They share a very antagonistic relationship at first. But later she finds that Frank was a very successful doctor in China who left his career to join his wife who works in a pharmaceutical company in the States. Although he had a great career in China, he left it so that he could be with his daughter Julie.

Tragedy strikes when her boyfriend doesn’t separate with his wife as planned leaving her penniless in a foreign country, pregnant with his child. Distraught at first, Frank comes to her rescue taking care of her. And she in turn helps Frank deal with his wife’s second marriage and the resulting loneliness. They both become romantically involved.

But by the time her baby was born, her boyfriend decides to accept her and she returns to China. But upon arriving there, she realises the kind of materialistic life she had with her boyfriend and leaves him. She starts an online business and slowly builds it up, and takes care of her son.

A few years later, they meet totally by coincidence at the top of the The Empire state building , from where they decide to actually start their relationship.

A very simple story right? This movie had a strong “Sleepless in Seattle” vibe throughout it. Especially the whole meeting atop the building thing. At the start of the film, our female lead had it all. She was beautiful, had lots of money, a boyfriend who she thought loved her a lot, and a way to deliver her baby in the States. Compared to her Frank,our male lead was at a disadvantage. Successful doctor turned driver, living off his wife’s money. Although the tables turned later, it was a interesting to see the male lead at a disadvantage than how usually females are depicted.

The story was not the gripping kind that keep you on an edge. Quite simple and rather predictable. Because of that, the actors were not able to show their prowess as they could have in other story lines. The other characters in the maternity home where also great and I wish they had a more important role in the story. At certain parts, especially at the beginning I felt that the story was very disconnected as well.

Finding Mr.Right is your typical rom-com. Don’t expect anything amazing out of it. But at the same time, it depicts a story where it’s not money or jobs that matter in the end but the love that we have for each other, especially as a family.

This was my first Chinese movie and a review of the same. What do you think? Also, do you know any other Chinese movies of different genres that I could watch? Let me know in the comments below!

Image courtesy: Google