So I was like, "This kinda seems like Superbad, but toned down for Taiwanese audiences." I mean, look at Jack Yao here:
Now look at Michael Cera:
I mean, I guess his jacket IS zipped up, and a different color. And that subway is much less crowded than the one in Au Revoir Taipei. But it just seems sort of similar, I mean, who is this Arvin Chen gu-HEY! The director isn't even Taiwanese!
Anyway, this is the same sort of misunderstanding-with-the-police-and-criminals-causes-a-night-time-adventure-through-the-city film that Cera is always in. If he could speak Chinese, I bet he would have been in it. It does a pretty good job with the characters, though, defying most of the Taiwanese stereotypes all the other movies have (because the writer is fucking American, probably). The wannabe gangster is effeminate and in touch with his emotions, giving his kidnapee advice on love. Susie (Amber Kuo), the love interest, defies her little girl looks to lead Jack Yao chasing after gunmen and running from the cops. Kai (Jack Yao) doesn't ever grow the balls to stand up for Susie (except once, but he hits like a sissy and gets punched to he ground immediately). And the dumb convenience store worker/friend is- no wait, that's pretty accurate--but he gets a pep-talk from like everyone to go for it with the girl he works with and he doesn't, which is refreshingly real.
The cop character is pretty good too, I mean, check out his CHIPs hair and leather jacket!
Plus a dumb chubby sidekick? Nice. The cop also gets left by his girlfriend and you think it's going to be another Hong Kong formulaic thing where he's either too badass for his woman or gets her back (actually let's face it, YOU don't think that because YOU don't watch a bunch of Chinese movies for no reason) but he ends up being so inept at his job that he loses Kai when he spots his ex and ends up in a hilarious shoving match with her date.
Oh yeah, I never said what the plot is. Uh so Kai's girlfriend goes to France and he spends all his time in a book store teaching himself French where Susie works and tells him he can't just sit there and read shit for free. His girlfriend leaves him and he makes a deal with a gangster he knows for a ticket to France to win her back. Hijinx ensue. Yeah, it's a date movie, take your girlfriend. Or rent Superbad.
Ratings:
Cool-Looking Shit: 5 out of 5. The cinematography is pretty good. And check out these gangsters:
Sappy Love Shit: 3 out of 5. Again, love story. But the cop and the convenience store worker don't get their girls. Also, the ending is pretty good, considering you know there's going to be love involved. Basically, though, there is enough mildly funny/interesting shit happening for it to not be hijacked by the love thing.
Me Posting Funny Shit: 0 out of 5. What happened here? Alright, I promise I'll find a terrible fanfiction or something to review next time.
Overall: 4 out of 5. Yeah, not bad. Superbad was better. Have I mentioned that you should see Superbad? God I love Michael Cera.
If you want to read some erotica with Michael Cera in it, visit amazon.com/author/a.c.blackhall
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